The End of Adolescence
by Nkari127
Summary: Knowledge of the prophecy pushes Harry to fight not only to survive, but to win. As the conflict escalates the wizarding world's only hope to win has stepped up, and one thing is made clear Harry Potter is not a child anymore. Abandoned.
1. Returning to Prison

**Plot Summary!** Harry returns to Privet Drive disillusioned with life due to Sirius' death principally. In his grief he departs forever from his childhood and steps up into the world of responsibility. Dumbledore takes him away from his relatives home to the new Order headquarters where he begins his training in earnest. The trials of captured Death Eaters reunite two of the trio for most of the summer and Harry participates in his first birthday party. Hogwarts opens with a fabulous prank and the identity of the Half Blood Prince is revealed! Harry Potter is determined to make this year different than the last, and he knows what he needs to do.

**Disclaimer!** I do not own Harry Potter or any cannon characters or ideas; those belong to J.K Rowling and Bloomsbury Books. I claim only the plot outline and content with exceptions that I will note. The lyrics to the song playing in Dudley's room are taken from Fall Out Boy's song _The Pros and Cons of Breathing_. The song is modern and not accurate of the times, but I was listening to it while writing this chapter and felt it was good enough to pay tribute to. Expect similar tributes in later chapters as I never write without music on. D All street names and directions are accurate, except Privet Drive, which was made up by Ms. Rowling herself.

**Chapter One - Returning to Prison**

A black, nondescript Mercedes Benz pulled out of the King's Cross station parking garage and onto Judd Street. It quickly made a left onto Euston Road, which turned into Marylebone Street a couple hundred meters down road. Soon a left was made onto Edgare Rd, which after a roundabout became Park lane.

Inside the Mercedes there were four passengers, who appeared to be very interested in everything except each other. Soon the car was on Fulham Road and crossing the Thames. It headed along with the traffic southeast, towards the passenger's home. Well the home of three of the passengers. For the fourth it was more of a prison. The home that they were heading to was in Surrey, more specifically number 4 Privet Drive, the most normal house on the entire drive. Well, with one exception.

The drive home was the longest Harry had ever experienced. His uncle was in front and refused to look back at Harry even in the slightest, and went so far as to completely ignore his review mirror. Harry knew that he wouldn't say, but Vernon had obviously been very scared indeed of the threats made by the Order members, and probably more specifically those made by Mad-Eye Moody. The peg-legged auror was more intimidating than anyone else Harry had ever seen, with the possible exception of Dumbledore that night when he discovered that the "Moody" he had hired for the Defense Against the Dark Arts in Harry's fourth year was actuality an imposter. The man's real name had been Bartemious Crouch Jr. and he had been an Azkaban escapee and a loyal follower of Voldemort. Now he was a soulless vegetable.

Voldemort, the evil wizard that was responsible for Harry's current state, the man that had killed Harry's parents and on four occasions tried to kill Harry personally, and once more when a memory of the man had tried to kill him.

In the passenger seat of the Mercedes was his aunt Petunia, whose face was still rather white from the meeting. She was nervously looking at Vernon and then back out towards the city as if trying to memorize street names. '_Utilizing her long neck I see_,' thought an amused Harry.

'_Speaking of street names, is it a bloody law here that if a street extends more than 200 meters it has to have a name change?_' He watched as Fulham Road, became Fullham High Street, which quickly changed to Putney High Street, then Putney Hill, which turned into Tibbets ride, all within two kilometers. '_London has to be the most confusing city in the world_.'

The last passenger, Harry's cousin Dudley, was currently taking up half again the space he should have been using in the back row of the Mercedes. Harry decided to break the silence, with a question. "Dudley, have you lost weight" The boy's eyes went wide and his face went white at being addressed. His reaction reminded Harry of a muggle documentary on poison he once saw. '_Well that went well_. _Then again, maybe it wasn't the best thing to ask,_' he thought bitterly. '_If they continue to be this bad during the summer I might be able to fulfill Sirius' dream and kill them all with one simple "boo"_'

'_Shouldn't have thought that,_' he reminded himself as immediately all the pain he felt from his godfather's death less than a week ago came back full force. He fought back the tears that threatened to expose weakness in front of the Dursley's. He was not weak, but it hurt so much. He once again saw his godfather taunting Bellatrix and saw the red spell hit him in the chest; once again saw his godfather, the only "family" he had left tumble backwards through the veil.

He had been so convinced that Sirius would come back through the other side and finish his duel with Bellatrix, but he never did. '_He is gone_.' The thought ran again through his head as it had a thousand times in the last week. '_Sirius is gone_.'

The car turned onto the A3, the highway that would take them home to Surrey, back to his prison. '_I wish you hadn't come Sirius. Why did you come?_' As much as he questioned that, Harry knew the answer. Sirius had come because of him, Sirius had come because he could no longer stay back and be passive. Sirius was one for action.

The car took a right off the highway and onto Egerton Road. They were almost there. "_I want to blame everyone so much Sirius, but I know I can't. I want to blame them for your death, for Cedric's death, for my life. I want to blame them because they are forcing me into this, and then tearing me apart when I am less than perfect. I want to so much. I wish you were still here Sirius, you were my last chance to be normal_."

Four distinct rises in elevation announced that the Mercedes was pulling into the driveway at number 4 Privet Drive. Harry glanced out the window to see award winning magnolia's swaying in the light wind, to see the pristine grass covering the lawn. He glanced back and saw the sun before the garage door shut and the passengers got out. His relatives quickly moved into the house, none dared to offer help to him. He sighed, but it was expected. After all, he was a freak, and they were probably right to avoid him. Everyone that got too close ended up dying. At least they had left the garage light on.

Harry opened the trunk of the Mercedes and took his trunk and Hedwig's Cage out. "Sorry girl, but I think they would have blown a fuse if I had had you in the car. I know how much you hate dark places, I do too." The snowy owl nibbled his finger in what was a decidedly affectionate gesture. He took Hedwig up to his room and then returned to the garage for his trunk which he slowly and painstakingly drug up the stairs to the smallest bedroom, his bedroom.

That bedroom, five years before, had belonged to his cousin Dudley. It had held all of his broken and unused properties. There was still evidence that it had been used as such. A broken TV sat in the corner; Harry distinctly remembered when Dudley had put his foot through it. A jack in the box sat off to its side. Harry reflected on how a jack-in-the-box was the cruelest toy ever invented. What kind of person gives their child a toy that plays music until a clown pops out scaring the kid. '_And that is one scary looking clown,_' Harry thought. You had to be sick. There were a few other scattered toys, all broken and useless. God forbid Harry would have anything that might work. He might be normal then.

Harry sighed again and began to move his clothes to the closet. He noticed that his aunt hadn't washed the clothes he had worn last summer, he hadn't actually expected her too. They were better described as rags actually. Well, Harry wasn't going to wear them like that. He decided that tomorrow he would use the washer. But for now, he would just sit, and brood.

"_Woah, I want to hate you half as much a, as I hate myself! Woah, I want to hate you half as much a, as I hate myself!_" the music screamed from his cousin's room next to his.

It was oddly fitting, Harry reflected. He had just been thinking the same thing.

'_Sirius, I want to hate you half as much as I hate myself. I want to hate you for coming to rescue me. I want to hate you for not accepting the offer to be my parents' secret keeper. I want to hate you for so many things. But first I need to recognize that I am more to blame for all the things I just said._'

.:OoOoOoOoO:.

It was five days into summer vacation, and for most it had been five days of wonderful time being reunited with their families. For Harry Potter, it had been five days of misery. The events of the first day back had sent Harry into a spiral of depression, and when Harry hadn't written to the Order as he had promised he would, Remus Lupin was sent to check on him.

What he found was not to his liking. Harry was thin, far thinner than he had been at the end of the term he was sure. "Harry, have you been eating"

Harry couldn't face him, and when Remus leaned over he saw shame in the boy's eyes. "Harry" Remus very near whispered"you have to eat. Sirius would want you to."

"Sirius can't want anything anymore" the boy countered, no emotion evident in his voice.

That voice stung Remus but he countered nonetheless. "But Harry, Sirius _would_ not want you to live like this. You have to eat. You have to pull through this, for Sirius. For me." That got a reaction, somewhat at least.

"Have you done your homework" Remus asked, hoping that some work would help to get Harry's mind off of Sirius' death.

"Don't have any" Harry mumbled. Remus had forgot teachers didn't assign homework after fifth year, they couldn't possible know which classes the student would qualify for.

"Well Harry, Dumbledore hinted that in a week or so the Underage Magic Laws should be repealed. I can help you practice."

"Hmmph" was the only reply he got.

Remus was worried, and that was an understatement. This boy in front of him was his last remaining connection to his friends, and he was falling as well. Sirius had entrusted Harry's care to him in the event that something would happen to him. And he wasn't about to let Sirius down.

"Do you want to go to Diagon Alley" It was a desperate gamble. On one hand, he wasn't supposed to take Harry anywhere, but no one had expected Harry to be this bad. Perhaps re-exposure to the wizarding world would help. When he didn't get a negative response he asked again. Harry slightly nodded. Relief swamped over Remus; perhaps he could do something.

An hour later Harry was cleaned up and fed, Remus had insisted that he take a shower, as there was only so much that spells could do. Harry even had to admit that the shower felt wonderful after being so dirty for the last week. The hot water had been cleansing. After a small meal consisting of a ham and cheese sandwich that Remus managed to scrounge up from the Dursley's refrigerator Harry was ready to go.

Outside, Remus signaled for the Knight Bus and paid the fee to get them to the Leaky Cauldron. It was thirty minutes before they arrived, and Remus had used that time to ask Harry what he wanted to do while they were at Diagon Alley. Harry told him that he wanted books to study; he had finished with his school texts over past summers. Remus agrees and upon arriving takes Harry to Flourish Blott's.

There he lets Harry walk the isles on his own and pick out a number of titles. After an hour Harry put the titles up on the counter and paid for them. Remus noticed that they were almost exclusively Defense titles, but there were some potion titles thrown in. When Remus asked Harry told him that he wanted to become and auror. That was all the answer Remus needed. Harry also picked up a mail order catalogue for Flourish and Blott's and the apothecary.

Remus treated Harry to some ice cream at Fortescue's and a meal at the Leaky Cauldron before paying the Knight Bus fare to get him home. Thirty minutes later Harry was standing in front of the place he hated the most in the world, and he was readying himself to go back into it. Remus sensed his apprehension and told him that if there was anything else he needed to owl him. He would come straight away. Harry thanked him for taking him to Diagon Alley and treaded back upstairs to his room, where he began to read.

.:OoOoOoOoO:.

_Dear Remus,_

_Thank you again for taking me to Diagon Alley, I know I've said it many times, but I have to repeat it. I've been learning so much from these books, and now that I'm allowed to use magic, I can actually put what I've learned to use. These potion books are fantastic, especially 1001 common potions, they are teaching me more than Snape ever could!_

Remus had been trying to use Severus' proper title, but Harry refused to other than when he was actually talking to the man.

_I now know the basic properties of many different ingredients, which Snape never taught us, and know that you can't effectively mix ginger and hellebore because of their conflicting characteristics. I think that I will be able to really raise my potion's grade because of all the extra studying and work I've been doing in the subject._

_I've also been practicing a lot of defensive spells from those books we got. Lets just say that I'm going to have some good ones for the D.A. next year._

_-Harry Potter_

Letters from Harry began to arrive every three days, this was the sixth, and Remus has been noticing a dramatic increase in Harry's positive outlook. When asked about Harry by others he shows them the letters and they agree that he sounds like he is doing well. So when Dumbledore told Remus that he was going to visit Harry, Remus asked what was wrong.

"There is nothing wrong Remus, but I feel that he and I are overdue for a talk."

Dumbledore, however, did indeed feel that something was wrong, and he was going to visit Harry to either confirm or placate his fears.

Dumbledore apparated to a small park about a block from the Dursley's, due to the apparition wards around the house and the surrounding neighborhood, and began what would be one of the longest treks to that particular house he had ever made.

A knock on the front door yielded no answer and so Dumbledore let himself into the house and slowly shut the door behind him. He slowly ascended the stairs to where he knew Harry's bedroom, the smallest at number 4 Privet Drive, to be. A light knock again yielded no answer and Dumbledore slowly opened the door. As soon as the seal to the hall outside was broken fumes began to flow out from the room into it, rushing past the old wizard and making strands of his white hair flow about him. Dumbledore opened the door wider and sees his young pupil lying on his bed. Around him are discarded bottles, which at one point no doubt held the potions that were brewing upon his desk.

"Mr. Potter" the venerable old wizard asked. The young wizard remains on the bed. A quick spell showed that he was asleep, and overall, unharmed. Dumbledore approaches the potions at the desk and quickly finds what they were. _1001 Common Potions_ was opened to 437, the cheering potion. There were three cauldrons of it bubbling.

An interesting stench brought the wizard, in whose eyes the twinkle had disappeared, to his favorite student's nightstand. On which sat a still smoldering wrapped piece of paper. It took Dumbledore only a second to recognize the scent. Hashish.

"Oh my boy" the old man barely whispered as he sat down into the boy's desk chair. "What have I done? I have failed you yet again."

He would do nothing but sit until the boy woke.

.:OoOoOoOoO:.

Pain.

His head hurt so badly. A moan escaped his lips as raised his hands to rub his temples in an attempt to alleviate the terrible headache. He knew it would be useless however. It was an unfortunate side effect of taking too much cheering potion. He reached over to his nightstand only to find by touch that there was nothing left of his joint. He muttered curses under his breath. That was all that he had to numb the pain. He turned to his side and slowly opened his eyes. He shut them again as light invaded them, shooting pain through his retina.

More curses. '_Dammit, why is the ganja out? I swore I had enough yesterday, or was that two days ago? Uggh, I can't remember._'

It wasn't until that he turned his head the other way to avoid the light and opened his eyes though that the real curses started. For there, sitting at his desk chair and looking defeated was the one wizard whom Harry did not want to see. Albus Dumbledore. The ancient wizard had the respect of everybody in the wizarding world, and Harry imagined quite a few in the muggle one. He had, however, lost the respect of Harry Potter during the course of Harry's preceding year at Hogwarts; the main reasons being Dumbledore's ignoring of the problems that were rampant in Harry's life and keeping of Harry ignorant of his role in the war.

"Fuck" he said weakly. It was the only word he could come up with on such short notice and in such pain. There was no doubt in his mind that he was in for the biggest lecture he had ever received, and he wasn't happy about it.

"I'm sorry Harry."

Those words were not how he envisioned this conversation starting, but they came nonetheless, and those words cut more than any amount of yelling could have and immediately put Harry on edge.

"I'm sorry for failing you. I can understand why you have turned to this, and I should have expected it considering the situation I put you in sending you back here alone."

"You couldn't possibly understand what lead to this" Harry said wincing.

"This isn't healthy Harry." A glare was leveled at the Headmaster. "Sirius wouldn't have wanted you to do this."

"HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE BLOODY HELL SIRIUS WOULD WANT"

Harry screamed at the old wizard. "In case you didn't notice; he's DEAD, _Headmaster,_" the last word oozing disrespect.

Dumbledore visibly flinched, and Harry pressed his advantage.

"Sirius would want me to be happy. And right now there is only one way to accomplish that; the way that I am using. He would want me to live my own life, not yours. I always knew, somehow, that all I was to you was a weapon. Are you proud Dumbledore? Are you proud at what you've been molding me to become? A killer" A thought suddenly occurred to Harry and against his better judgment he voiced it. "I bet you knew that Quirrel was a death eater. I bet you knew what was happening all through second year. Hell, I bet you even knew that Crouch was a loyal follower of Voldemort. I bet you _wanted_ me to get in those impossible situations, to test if the prophecy was true! Have I convinced you yet _Headmaster_? Have I convinced you that I'm the one destined to fight Voldemort, and more than likely die by his hand?

"What will you do then _Dumbledore_? What will you do when your precious weapon is gone? What will you do when everybody looks up to _you_ to kill him. Will you fight him and die just the same as me? Or will you hand the world to the monster on a silver platter?"

Dumbledore was, needless to say, quite shocked by Harry's accusations and tried to defend himself from the onslaught of accusations. "Harry, how could you say such things? Of course I didn't know about those instances. I'm not infallible –"

"Damn right you aren't infallible. If you were infallible you would have spoke to me last year! You would have found out that Umbridge was torturing students in their detention sessions. I can't begin to recall how many times I engraved _this_ in my skin!" With that he thrust his hand forward for Dumbledore to see. 'I will not tell lies,' was clearly scarred into the back of his hand. Dumbledore looked horrified.

"If you had been infallible, you would have been there to talk to me about Sirius and my father! If you were infallible you wouldn't have had Snape _attempt_ to teach me Occlumency. Those lessons were a farce _Headmaster_. Snape raped my mind every lesson for as much embarrassing material as he could find. Is it a stipulation that one can only be trained in Occlumency by reliving their worst memories? Could he have perhaps eased me into the process?

"Let me ask you _Headmaster_. Would you have practiced Occlumency at night if all it brought in lessons was pain?"

Dumbledore looked shocked, and was feeling even worse. He truly had failed Harry, and now he was suffering the consequences of that. Anger, distrust, and shame.

"If you had been infallible," Harry continued on in a rage, pressing his advantage, "you would have not left me in this house that fateful day years ago _Headmaster_. All this place holds for me is hate. I'm not wanted here, I don't want to be here. The Dursley's beat me until I started coming to Hogwarts. You must have known this, after all, you would have been keeping tabs on your precious 'Boy-Who-Lived.' But no matter, you still left me here. You made me come back every summer, now I know due to a blood protection, but it doesn't matter. I want to _live _Headmaster. I don't want to just _survive_. You seemed unwilling to help me along this path, so I turned to these," Harry gestured to the cheering potions and burned out joint.

"They, at least, make me feel good about myself," Harry said vehemently, then added, "Good day _Headmaster_."

With that Harry James Potter excused himself from the room and walked down the stairs, clearly intent on being alone. Dumbledore, for his part, couldn't do anything but sit down and stare at the wall. It was clear that he had failed his favorite pupil more than he had previously imagined.

'_What have I done?' _Dumbledore thought as he brought his hands up and rested his head in them.

.:oOoOoOoOo:.

'_What did I just do?_' Harry Potter asked himself as he slammed the door to number 4 Privet Drive shut and immediately began off towards a nearby park. There was a part of Harry that was glad that he had inflicted that pain on Dumbledore. After all, had he not suffered three times as much in actually living it? And yet, there was another part of him that felt terrible. Hadn't he promised himself that he would find the blame in himself before he started to look for it in others?

He had, but things hadn't worked out that way. When he began to dwell on Sirius Harry had tried to find where he could have done things differently. The mirror, he could have used the mirror. That had been the hardest thing to get over, the failure of the mirror to find Sirius after he fell through the veil. He had tried to contact Sirius via floo. And that brought up the subject of Umbridge.

Harry clinched his hands into fists at the mere thought of the woman who had admitted to sending the dementors after Harry the previous summer, and who had threatened him with the Cruciatus Curse. Not to mention the lines that were now currently scared into the back of his hand.

Harry turned his hand over and stared at that particular scar. 'I will not tell lies.' Harry sighed. He hadn't lied today in telling Dumbledore what he had, but he regretted being so harsh with the older wizard. Harry reached the park and sat down leaning against a nearby tree.

Harry thought about what the Headmaster had told him, and he knew that Dumbledore was right. He _couldn't_ continue to rely on cheering potions and drugs to get him by. It had been too simple, and Harry had known it the moment he had started. But it had been an effective combination. Harry sighed again and slouched down further against the tree trunk. He knew that he would have to return to his prison soon, and he wasn't relishing the thought of it. No doubt the entire Order would be there, Remus in the lead, all ready to take their piece of him.

Maybe if he just stayed out for a bit longer. Harry left himself to his turbulent thoughts for some time before drifting off to sleep. He had yet to go home.

.:oOoOoOoOo:.

Dumbledore sat in Harry's room, still at the desk chair he had occupied during his and Harry's chat earlier. Dumbledore had wanted to speak with the boy again and apologize. He was hoping that Harry would find it in his heart to forgive him. Dumbledore had come to terms with what Harry had said, and realized it was all truth. Dumbledore could no longer in good conscience let Harry stay here in this house with his abusive muggle relatives, albeit it was the safest place for Harry to be regarding Voldemort.

Now though, the wizard known as the only one that Voldemort ever feared, was quite fearful himself. The subject of his fear? Harry Potter. The young wizard had yet to return home, and it had been nine hours. It was getting dark outside, and Dumbledore could only blame himself for Harry's running away. Dumbledore sighed and decided that the time for waiting for Harry to return on his own accord was long past and set down the stairs of the most normal house on the entire street, which was saying something, and let himself quietly out of the door.

"_Quatenus Harry Potter_," he muttered waving his wand. When nothing happened Dumbledore moved down to the end of the street and once again muttered the spell. It was a searching spell. It would alert the caster to the position of whatever was called for. The range of the spell however, was a mere fifty meters. Dumbledore didn't know how far Harry had run, but he was going to find the boy and apologize. And so it happened that a number of muggles saw the ancient wizard walking down the street, stopping every so often and waving his wand around muttering quietly to himself. Most thought nothing of it, though there were a few quiet whispers of 'Poor old man, he's losing it.'

.:oOoOoOoOo:.

Remus Lupin was now worried. He hadn't seen Albus all day, every since the older wizard had told him that he was going to speak with Harry. Remus still suspected that Dumbledore had thought that there was something wrong with Harry. After all, Albus had never seen fit to talk with Harry personally before. But what, Remus couldn't begin to comprehend. After all, Harry's letters had just seemed so positive. There was nothing in them to make anybody nervous.

Remus sighed, perhaps that was what was wrong. Dumbledore would be suspicious that Harry would be over Sirius so quickly. He had to admit, he himself was a little wary of how fast Harry had gotten over his depression after being taken to Diagon Alley.

But for now, all Remus could do was wait. With the Headmaster's schedule, there would be no telling when he would be able to speak with him next.

.:oOoOoOoOo:.

A gently placed hand on his should woke Harry. He woke with a start looking up into cool calculating blue eyes.

"You can't be terribly comfortable lying like that Harry."

Harry hmphed and turned over, giving Dumbledore the cold shoulder.

"Harry, my boy. I'm very sorry about what I have put you though." Harry remained steadfastly turned over. "I can't pretend to know what it is like to be destined to fight or die. But I do know what it is like to fight. I failed you once again, and for that I am very sorry. It's very difficult for me to see you like this, hurting and broken."

Harry shifted uncomfortably and wanted to tell Dumbledore that he was _not_ broken, but he couldn't force the words out of his mouth.

"Cedric and Sirius, are just a few of the many casualties that have already happened Harry. There have been many aurors killed in Death Eater raids. There have been many muggles tortured to death already in Voldemort's second rise. They will all be missed, and each of us have our own connections to these people. But you Harry, you have a connection to them all. I know that you experience Tom's emotions, I know that you suffer from visions of his doings. I thought that teaching you Occlumency would help. But I obviously have misjudged the character of Professor Snape.

"I understand how much you are sacrificing. I once did so myself, though I admit I was a bit more personally motivated than pushed. And for that I regret that as well. I had believed that I was doing you a favor by giving you little shoves in what I thought was the right direction. I was obviously mistaken. You have my word Harry that from now on you can lead your own life, and that I will no longer be interfering in your menial activities, that is, outside of Hogwarts.

"If you would like, I can take you tonight from your home here with your relatives and take you to Headquarters."

Harry was surprised at what Dumbledore was saying. He had stood his ground once to the older wizard and the results were astounding. He was finally going to be in control of his life. And yet, he wasn't ready to return to Grimmauld Place. He voiced these concerns in an unsure voice.

"We are no longer located at Sirius' house Harry. The position was compromised when Sirius died. Kreacher no longer has a master to follow orders from and took to leaving the house quite often."

Harry clenched his fists at mention of Kreacher. Dumbledore noted this and calmed his fears.

"Kreacher is dead now Harry."

"How?" asked Harry.

"Lets just say that a certain hippogryph was not pleased with the results of his conversation with you and dealt punishment he felt was fair."

A small grin broke through Harry's face at mention of Buckbeak and the very calm way that Dumbledore had of breaking Kreacher's probably bloody death to him. Not that Harry cared. If he had run into Kreacher, he would have strangled the house elf himself with his bare hands.

"So it is settled then Harry? You will come to Headquarters with me tomorrow? I dare say you will rather like it there."

Harry nodded.

"Now, I'm afraid there is the little issue of your substance abuse."

Harry bent his head in shame.

"I won't force you to stop Harry, though I will highly recommend that you do..."

Whatever Harry had expected Dumbledore to say, it was not that.

"...but I will tell you a story, and trust you to make your own decisions. Years after I graduated from Hogwarts I married the most wonderful woman I knew, Konstance. A year later I was blessed with a beautiful daughter, Emilia." A single tear appeared in Dumbledore's eye.

"She was six years old and was already showing signs of magic, performing accidental magic quite often if I do remember quite correctly." The old wizard smiled at the memory.

"One terrible night, both my wife and child were ripped away from me. The times had been getting worse and Grindelwald was rising to power. Five members of his "army of darkness" as he called them attacked my house. They tortured then killed my daughter and wife, but left me alive, albeit brutally injured.

"I was inconsolable. I began to work myself to be able to take revenge, and I deemed sleep unnecessary. I began to take resting draughts to simulate the effects of a full nights rest. After a while I stopped sleeping entirely, and though my mind could still be tricked, my body couldn't. I collapsed and had to be taken to St. Mungo's. There I was forced to recover from an addiction to those resting draughts, and saw a specialist to help deal with my problems. It was the right choice to make, however difficult it was. I eventually fought through my dependence.

"I still trained, and I still trained harder than any of the others, and it paid off in the end. But it hurt, and after the fall of Grindelwald I had nothing else to continue for. I once again became dependent on substances, but this time it was cheering potions."

Harry was shocked at the admission. This man, the arguably most powerful wizard in the world, had fallen at one point in time. The admission along with Harry's previous understanding of Dumbledore not being infallible showed to Harry that Dumbledore, for all of his wisdom and power, was still human. He was just like anybody else.

Dumbledore continued. "It took me years to fight off that addiction Harry. Years. Do you know how I did it"

Harry shook his head.

"I looked to the future, I looked to my students, and I realized that my wife and child would not want me to live the way I was living. I was destroying myself _because_ of them. Though I miss my wife and child so much, I would never leave what I still have; my students.

"If you want Harry, I will help you through this. I won't let you down again. But in order for me to help you, you have to let me.

"Will you let me help you"

Harry nodded his head and raised a hand to quell the burning in his eyes. "You once told me sir, that it does not do to dwell on dreams "

"- and forget to live" Dumbledore finished.

"Thank you sir, I've been forgetting that. I've been selfish. I have more to live for than myself." Harry stood resolutely. "I need to still be strong for Sirius, for Cedric, for Remus, for you, for everyone."

"I won't fail you again Harry, I promise."

"I don't expect you will sir" Harry said with a slight smile.

Dumbledore smiled in return, it was going to be all right.

As the two walked out of the park and down the street back to number 4 Privet Drive Harry voiced a question that was burning in his mind. "Headmaster, how was it that you knew to check on me? I thought the letters I was writing were fairly convincing."

Dumbledore nodded"That they were Harry. It was the book you mentioned. _1001 Common Potions_. I used the same one."

Harry nodded as he was led into the house by the professor.

"Good night Harry. I trust that I will find you ready to go at noon?" Harry nodded resolutely. "Well then, sleep tight, and don't let the bedbugs bite."

Harry could only shake his head in wonder. There were times when he was convinced that the older wizard was completely batty. This was one of those times. Honestly, bed bugs? Who ever heard of such a thing?

**(A/N: **Well, well, well. I hope that everybody liked the first chapter and I'm sorry if I ruined your imagination of Harry being the perfect kid. But I felt that this was necessary to the story, and to the relationship that I want Harry/Dumbledore to have. I felt that having Harry fall was a good way to illustrate Dumbledore's flaws as well, and that is what Harry really needed to see. So, now that that is over what is Harry going to do? Where is this place Dumbledore is taking him to, and perhaps more importantly, _what _is it? Also, I'd like to apologize for the language and the situations; they are fouler here than at any other planned point in the story as of yet. Oh, and if you read, please review! Also, I felt at some points that the story didn't run quite as smoothly as others, let me know if you have any suggestions in your reviews as to how to fix that.

Thanks anonymous reviewer for correcting the driving directions there. I was going by Mapquest which unfortunatly does not show every street name in the city.)

**(A/N2:** If you liked this chapter then read Nighttime Sunshine's _Like a Phoenix He Shall Rise_, as the inspiration for this chapter came from there.)


	2. 7 King St

**Disclaimer!** I don't own Harry Potter and I'm not getting anything but my own satisfaction out of writing this! Please don't sue me!

**Chapter 2 – 7 King St**

Dumbledore arrived at the Dursley residence at 10:00 the next morning. Confused, Harry had asked if he had heard the time wrong, thinking that it had been noon. Dumbledore assured Harry that he had had the time correctly, but Dumbledore wanted to check the Harry's room and fix it up a bit before the two left for good.

It took a full hour for Dumbledore to inspect and fix the room. He insisted that the Dursley's deserved to have their room left in fine shape. The brewing of potions was harsh on wood walls, part of the reason that the course was taken in the Hogwarts dungeons, and many of the wooden support beams in Harry's room were now rotting. Dumbledore made short work of that problem. Harry made short work of vanishing his simmering potions, though it was done hesitantly. Harry asked if they could leave then, but Dumbledore firmly stated that the Dursley's at least needed to know that he was leaving. Harry reluctantly consented.

The two made sure that all of Harry's possessions were packed before exiting the room for the last time. They waited downstairs and Harry turned on the television. There was a muggle movie on, _Planet of the Apes_. Dumbledore seemed to know it and Harry watched for a while before the opening of the front door announced the return of the Dursley's, well, at least one of them.

Petunia walked into the house carrying two sacks of groceries labeled Tesco. She walked into the kitchen and began to put the groceries away before a polite cough by Dumbledore announced their presence.

Petunia turned around, very startled, and even let out a small yelp at the Headmaster's presence.

Harry spoke up, "It's alright Aunt Petunia. I just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving. I don't know if I'll ever be back. I don't believe I'll ever have fond memories of this place, but thank you for taking me in. Try to take care of yourself, and tell Uncle Vernon and Dudley good-bye for me."

Petunia's face turned ashen and she could only nod at the announcement. In one fell swoop she was free of the one thing she hated most, but now she was also fearful, for with his leaving the spell that protected them from more of his kind would disappear too. It was bit of a catch 22, but one that she was willing to accept.

That done Dumbledore asked Petunia if he could borrow the newspaper. She told him he could. He pulled out his wand and muttered, "_Portus._" Harry knew what that meant and took hold of the newspaper as it activated.

A familiar tugging sensation behind the navel announced the start of the transport. Harry and Dumbledore popped out of existence in the view of Petunia Dursley and she reflected on how it was an appropriate way for the boy to finally disappear from her life.

Harry crashed to the ground upon landing, feeling rather nauseous.

"Where are we?" asked Harry slowly getting off the ground.

"We are at the new Order Headquarters. With the events of last year it was decided that the security of 12 Grimmauld had been compromised. We relocated here. Many of the same spells are in place, but I believe you will find it a more cheerful environment. Now I need you to read this." Harry took the paper knowing exactly what to expect.

_The Order of the Phoenix Headquarters is located at 7 King Street, London._

The same miracle that accompanied the discovery of Grimmauld place happened here. Between number 6 and 8 a house popped into existence, and Harry immediately noticed the differences. This headquarters was more of a mansion than anything else. It was four stories tall and used bright colors in its decoration patterns. Harry stood, shell shocked at the difference, for a good fifteen seconds before Dumbledore coughed.

"It is unfortunate on a day such as this, but it is necessary that we do go inside Harry."

"Uhh, right Headmaster," Harry said as he followed Dumbledore up the three steps to the front door.

Dumbledore inserted a key into the lock and turned it first to the right, and then back to the left. The door swung open for them and Harry's jaw dropped a little further. A short hallway led to an immense two-story tall entrance hall. But that wasn't the impressive part. In the middle of the entrance hall was a beautiful golden spiral staircase leading up to the third floor. The staircase was wide enough for three people side by side to walk up comfortably, though Harry imagined you could fit four.

Harry then noticed that there were doors at the back and both sides of this room as well. They were all opened at the time. To his left was the dining hall, or so Harry assumed by the enormous square table. Behind the staircase Harry could see the doors open up to rows of books, a library then. To his right he saw comfortable furniture and a large fireplace, Harry guessed it was the living room.

"Sir, what is this place?"

"Ah, I was wondering if you would ask that," Dumbledore answered with a twinkle in his eye. "This, Harry, is the official Potter Residence. As your temporary guardian I was able to acquire it for temporary use to the Order, but I was hoping that you would allow us to continue to use it, as it does belong to you. I had meant to ask you immediately, but it was only very recently that we have begun using it, and I'm afraid it slipped my mind."

"This," Harry began, "This is where my family lived?"

"Yes, that would be correct."

The house immediately became a goldmine, and Harry couldn't wait to get started exploring the place.

Dumbledore could tell that Harry was about to run off, and so asked him again politely if the Order could continue to use the residence as their headquarters.

"Of course Headmaster, it won't be a problem at all, especially if I get to stay here!" A smile lit Harry's face and Albus Dumbledore smiled as well. Upon seeing that smile any remaining worries he had about Harry Potter were banished. In that smile was a true happiness, happiness on the scale of his first finding out that he was a wizard, upon first seeing Hogwarts.

"Well," Dumbledore began, "now that _that_ is done we can move onto other pleasant matters. REMUS!" Dumbledore yelled up the staircase. "Remus we have a new inhabitant!" It was only a few seconds before a familiar face popped up at the top of the staircase.

Harry's smile went wider.

"Harry!" Remus called. "You are here to stay?"

"Yep," Harry laughed in response. "I'm here to stay Remus. No more Dursley's. How wonderful is that?!"

Remus bounded down the stairs and engulfed Harry in a hug. "Welcome home Harry. I suppose

Dumbledore told you what this place was?"

Harry nodded in answer.

"Well then I will take the liberty of showing you around."

Dumbledore stopped them. "Before you go Remus, I have one more thing to ask Harry here."

"Yes Headmaster?"

"I want you to continue your studies here. If you don't mind I will be setting up a rather rigorous training regimen for you this summer?"

Harry smiled, work was something he wanted to do. "I would be very happy to be busy this summer." As Dumbledore turned to leave Harry stopped him. "Thank you once again Headmaster. You have no idea this," Harry gestured around, "means to me."

Dumbledore didn't say a thing, but smiled at Harry, who smiled back before walking out the front door and off to whoever knows what important business. Harry reflected he had been smiling a lot that day. Perhaps that was a good thing.

"Come on! This place has loads of great things I want to show you!" Remus called to Harry. Harry turned and ran after Remus whose age Harry noticed seem to dwindle away as he showed Harry the house which turned out to be bigger than Harry even though it would be, and grander. The entire first floor was with vaulted ceilings and so actually extended up through the second floor space, with the exception of the kitchens. Remus showed him the entrance to and the rooms for the house elves quarters, which were directly above the kitchens.

Huge windows with Maroon drapes decorated the outer walls of the dining room, living room, and library. The dining room table was a giant square with a square cut out of the middle. Remus told him that this was fairly customary because the house elves would appear in the middle and then serve the family and/or guests from there so that they were not reaching around the diners.

The library was large, but not nearly as large as Hogwarts. Remus told him that the Black Family Library was moved here as well, but that was being stored upstairs. Harry browsed some of the titles noting that they are mostly on charms and transfiguration. "Hermione would love this place I'm sure," Harry told Remus.

"I think so too Harry," came the reply with a smile.

The living room came with the biggest surprise however, for across the gigantic fireplace was the Potter Family tapestry. It chronicled hundreds of years of the Potter family back to the age of the founders. George Potter was the first on the list and he was followed by George II and George III. Throughout the family history it was common to see marriage to muggles and non-purebloods. Harry was also pleased to see that he was not related to the Malfoys in any way except for a branch off about 700 years ago. There was a more recent connection with the Weasley's though. Arthur Weasley was Harry's 5th cousin once removed.

"And they never told me," complained Harry laughing.

"You dolt," said Remus hitting him lightly on the back of his head.

"Hey!" Harry protested. "What was that for?!"

"Because – Umph" Remus never got to finish his statement because Harry tackled him laughing. The two wrestled on the ground for five minutes before they were both to tired to continue.

"You know Remus," Harry started, "this is the most fun I've ever had during summer vacation."

Remus and Harry laid there for another five minutes, Remus contemplating what Harry had just told him, and Harry happy to finally be home.

After he felt sufficiently rested Remus asked, "So you want to see the rest of the house?"

"Of course," came the smiling reply.

Remus groaned as he got up off the floor muttering a, "I'm getting too old for all this horsing around."

"No you're not Remus, you'll never get too old for that," answered a still smiling Harry who skipped up the stairs and waited for Remus at the top.

Remus then explained that the room they were currently in was a sitting room, just to lounge around in and relax. To Harry's right there extend a hallway. Remus led him down it first and showed him the four guest bedrooms, including the one he was currently using. Each bedroom was the size of the Gryffindor common room and decorated in much the same colors, and each had its own private bath.

After Harry was told that Remus was the only one using any of the guest rooms at the moment he was lead back to the sitting room and to the north into what Remus called the entertainment room.

Inside was a piano, "Your mother was an excellent pianist," Remus told him, a billiards table, a television, and a music system including a muggle radio.

"Your mother wanted to preserve some of her muggle heritage here and so got James to make this a sort of muggle room."

Harry determined that this room was his favorite so far, as he saw his mother imprinted all over it. In fact, there were several pictures of her and his father on the walls. And there was one painting of his father when he was younger, younger than Harry at the moment. Harry was fairly captivated by the painting and was somewhat disappointed when he found that it was a typical muggle painting, the figure could not move and talk. James had never imprinted his image into it Remus explained.

Remus showed Harry how the piano worked and played a short piece he called, "Ode to Joy."

"It's the only thing I know how to play honestly," Remus said, "your mother taught me. It is very simple." Harry extracted the promise that Remus would teach it to him sometime, before he allowed Remus to lead him to the next room –

- the master bedroom. It, like the rooms on the first floor, had a vaulted ceiling at two stories high. A grand four-poster, canopy bed sat against the front wall of the house. There were a number of dressers and armoires along the inside wall, and an ornate, old fashioned couch sat under large windows along the outside wall of the house. A private bath was attached to the back of the bedroom along with two closets. The windows that lined the east wall were currently only slightly opened, due to the drapes.

"This is where you will be staying of course," Remus said.

"Why?" Harry asked. He had never seen a bedroom this large; let alone lived in one.

"Well that should be obvious," started Remus. "This is the master bedroom, and you are the master of this house. The last remaining Potter." It was strange to say those words. Remus had met three generations of Potters and now there was only one left, not even only one generation, only one Potter.

Harry seemed to take in the meaning of those words too and stopped for a second before agreeing that he would take the room, "however unnecessarily large it is."

Finally, Remus led Harry up to the last floor of the Potter residence. They arrived once again in a sitting room. Remus again led Harry down a hallway to the right and showed Harry the two storage rooms where the Black family library was currently being stored, and two more guest bedrooms that were down that way. After finishing that, he led Harry back to the sitting room and towards the front of the house.

There, behind some doors was a Potions laboratory. A few cauldrons were simmering and Remus told Harry that Professor Snape, he chose to use the title there, was working on the Wolfsbane potion and Veritaserum for the Order. Harry felt guilty about his recent misuse of cheering potions when Remus told him that as long as he doesn't disturb any of the potions that are being made by Severus, he could use the room to practice his own potion making skills.

"There is only one more thing to show you," said Remus as he led Harry back out into the sitting room and towards the back of the house. Harry soon saw what it was as Remus opened two large glass doors and stepped out onto a balcony that gave Harry an excellent view of the city out that way. Remus pointed out that they were only about a half-kilometer away from the Leaky Cauldron and a large muggle shopping area, but warned Harry about going out without telling anyone.

Harry agreed that he wouldn't.

The two spent the rest of the day lounging around and talking about Harry's parents. Harry admitted his surprise that there were no secret passages here, and Remus says, "that, no doubt, is because this house was not designed by your father. I imagine that if he had built it, one would never be able to get around the house without knowing all sorts of passwords and the like."

That had brought what was to be the thirtieth smile to Harry's face that day.

.:oOoOoOoOo:.

Harry woke the next morning warm and content and with no headache. Looking up a maroon canopy greeted him. A moment of shock went through him as he wondered where he was, but just as suddenly the shock went away and it was replaced with security. He was home, truly home.

He rolled out of bed and saw that there was a pair of slippers that looked pretty warm at his side. He put them on and went to the bathroom where he quickly turned the water to hot. It was instantly scalding, and Harry had to turn the temperature down before he could slip in. While in the shower he contemplated the recent events in his life. He recalled Dumbledore's words from yesterday about being trained, and he couldn't wait to get started. He briefly wondered if he would start that day.

Harry quickly finished his shower and dried himself off with the towel on the rack before pulling on his wizarding robes, which were much nicer than his muggle clothes. After dressing he headed downstairs via the grand staircase and into the dining room.

"Harry Potter Sir!" came the squealed greeting and Harry had to look down to see the house elf that was currently squeezing his legs. "Dobby is come to take care of Master Harry's house sir! Are you being hungry sir?"

"Yes actually," Harry replied, still wondering when Dobby had arrived at the house. He hadn't seen the house elf yesterday during the tour, and he imagined that the house elf would not have wanted to miss him.

Instantly the place nearest Harry was full of food, much more than Harry could eat, but he didn't voice this.

"Thanks Dobby."

"Oh Harry Potter is a great wizard sir, thanking Dobby like Dobby is a friend!"

With that Dobby popped off to only Merlin knows where and Harry began to eat. The entrance of Remus and Dumbledore into the dining hall interrupted his meal.

"Ah, Harry, just the person I wanted to talk to," Dumbledore greeted him. "I have taken the liberty of setting up a schedule for you so that you may study over the summer with competent instructors." Harry noticed the slight emphasis on competent. "I just want to have your input. I have spoken with Nymphadora –" Harry grinned and imagined Tonks' face as Dumbledore used her hated first name " - and she has agreed to come and help you with Defense Against the Dark Arts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 10:00. After that at 11:00 I am available to come and help you with your Occlumency. It is still imperative that you master this. I will also be able to help you understand wizarding culture and your place in it. At noon you would break for lunch and at 1:00 if you feel it is necessary Remus here has agreed to help you with any spells you are having difficulty with."

At this point Remus interjected, "I can also help you look up spells that have a desired effect and help you practice them if you would like, or we can do some physical conditioning."

Harry nodded and Dumbledore continued.

"On Tuesday and Thursday I am available at 10:00 to come and duel with you. I believe that this is a very good opportunity for both you and myself and I do hope that you agree to it. At 11:00 Poppy, excuse me, Madam Pomfrey, is available to come and teach you some basic medimagic. She will also be able to heal any injuries we may suffer while dueling. Again at noon you would break for lunch, and you would pick up again at 1:00 with Remus here who will be able to assist you in potions."

Harry was a little apprehensive about the idea of dueling with Dumbledore on every Tuesday and Thursday, but quickly agreed to the schedule.

"Excellent," Dumbledore said clapping his hands. Well then, today is Saturday the 22nd, so you have two days to yourself here. I give you freedom to go to Diagon Alley and even into the muggle world if you would like, but I will warn you that you will be under Order surveillance."

Harry nods his head in acceptance of that.

"Thank you Headmaster, you are making this the best summer ever for me."

"I had hoped I would be Harry," came the reply. "Well, I must be off, I have a meeting with Cornelius in..." Dumbledore checked his watch, on which Harry couldn't seem to find the time under all the moving planets, "... fifteen minutes. Thank you for your time Harry, and your agreement to the schedule. And thank you, Remus, for our chat earlier."

Remus nodded his head to the Headmaster who was already up and walking out the doors to the entrance hall. A few seconds later Harry heard the front door open and then close, signaling the exit of the older wizard.

"Well," Remus began breaking the silence after Dumbledore left, "why don't you finish eating and then I can show you that fantastic muggle shopping area around here. I can tell you are in dire need of some new clothes," he added with a wink.

Harry groaned but quickly finished up his meal, or at least finished what he could, and went upstairs to change. He came down and Remus looked at him before giving a "tsk tsk," and waving his wand. Harry's clothes changed into something acceptable, but they were still a far cry from nice.

"Well, they will have to do until we get you some new ones," Remus said before leading Harry out the front door. It was 11:00.

Harry was surprised at how short of a walk it really was to get to Diagon Alley. Remus had told him it was a simple half of a kilometer, but it was different when you walked it. Harry was also surprised at how quickly the buildings changed from residential to commercial. The two walked east on King St, and then headed a bit more northeast on Garrick Street before turning onto Charing Cross road, a commercial haven. The two crossed Shaftesbury Ave and a hundred meters more brought them to the front of the Leaky Cauldron. Remus took the time to point out that across the street and past a few rows of stores was the well-known shopping strip, the Carnaby shopping area, he had been telling Harry about. Harry would be going there for his clothes, but first they had to visit Gringotts.

It was short work to be made at Gringotts to transfer five hundred galleons to muggle currency. When asked why so much by Harry Remus explained so that Harry didn't have to come back often, and that he would have cash on hand at the house any time he needed it. In the main teller room Harry changed his 500 galleons into pounds sterling. At the current exchange rate of 2.5998 pounds to the galleon and a 5-galleon exchange fee, Harry had argued it down from 10; Harry was soon holding £1234.90. The bills were split into nine £100 notes, four £50 notes, eleven £20 notes a £10 note and a few coins at Remus' insistence.

"It wouldn't do to only have large bills in the muggle shopping area; the storeowners would be suspicious because Harry was so young," he had explained.

Remus then led Harry back to the Leaky Cauldron and after a short warning that he would be watching, left Harry to go off into the muggle world to get his clothes. Remus disappeared into the crowds.

Harry was left alone again, but this time he was not fully alone, and he knew it. That thought gave him strength and he walked across Charing Cross road and to the other side of the street. He then meandered back south to Shaftesbury Ave and east to Regent St. It was there that he walked north and stumbled into a very active part of town.

People were everywhere, women especially, carrying large bags that mostly contained clothes. Harry was assaulted by brand names and styles and he honestly had no idea what to do. So he did what any man in that situation would do, he walked to the nearest coffee shop to contemplate his position.

Café Mocá was not your typical coffee shop, the entrance made sure that the customer knew that. The architecture of the front doors was made to look like it was one column; the doors were curved in and above them the top of the "column" was engraved with the name.

Inside, the shop was pristine, and the smell of numerous coffee bean types that were used in the store assaulted the customer's nose, making him forget the cost of such drinks at this location. Harry was not a coffee person, in fact, he knew absolutely nothing about coffee, but he did know one thing, the coffee smelled delicious, so he wandered up to the counter to place his order.

"Hello, welcome to Café Mocá, what would you like today?" the woman at the counter asked him.

"What is the coffee that smells so good right now?"

"Sorry sir, but I can't tell," came the hesitant reply.

"Well then just get me whatever one you think is best," Harry replied not knowing at all if what he was saying was possible.

"Well," the lady began, "I personally like the Columbian Coffee with vanilla bean extract, is that alright with you sir?"

"Oh yeah, that's fine." Harry had no idea what all that meant, but it sounded good enough to him.

The lady quickly returned with his drink and he paid the £4.50 that it rang up to and settled down at a table alone to quietly sip his coffee. '_Hmm, this is rather good_,' he thought after his first sip, then '_Great, I'm out here alone and I have to get a full wardrobe, how in the bloody hell does Remus expect me to navigate muggle fashion? There is just no way –"_

"Hi, mind if I sit here?"

Harry looked up from his thoughts and saw a girl with short black hair smiling at him, coffee in hand.

"No," Harry gestured, "go on ahead."

The girl sat down and asked Harry, "So, what are you doing out here all alone?"

Harry raised an eyebrow and the girl giggled.

"Its just, odd, that a bloke like you would be out here in this shopping district alone."

"Ah, yeah." Harry wasn't sure what to say, but came up with a solution to his problem. "Well, the truth is that I'm here because I need clothes, and a lot of them, so I'm out shopping."

"Oh," the girl said.

"The problem is, that I can't decide on which fashions to choose, which colors to choose, you know, me being a typical guy."

She laughed at that one. '_Okay Harry, you can keep this up._'

"I was actually sitting here hoping a girl like yourself would come up, so that I could beg you to help me shop, 'cause I have no idea what the bloody hell I'm doing!" Harry threw his arms in the air for good measure, though he nearly knocked over his coffee in the process.

"Well," the girl said still laughing, "you could start by introducing yourself." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Jess."

He reached out and took her hand. "I'm Harry. Would you help me find what I need?"

Jess reached into her purse and pulled out a small square object with a bunch of numbers on it. Harry saw its resemblance to a telephone, but didn't ask about its small size, or what she was doing with it figuring that it would be a stupid question. It turned out she was getting the time.

"Yeah, I could spare some time to help a bloke like yourself who has no idea 'what the bloody hell' he's doing."

"Great," said Harry, "where do we begin?"

"Well you could start by letting me finish my Mocá," came the reply.

"A superb idea!" Harry stated as he began again to sip his coffee. Jess laughed again. Maybe he was getting better at this kind of thing.

Three hours later found Harry and Jess in what must have been the thousandth store of that day, Merc, which Harry thought sounded infinitely more promising than the last store, DrunknMonkey. Harry had thought the store was quite odd but when he asked about it Jess had just replied that it was a popular store that specialized in the "new look" for men. Harry must have tried on thirty outfits before he purchased one "clubbing suit," and some nice looking street clothes.

Harry was quite fond of the "clubbing suit" that Jess had picked out, and was looking forward to his first chance to get to wear it. It consisted of long black slacks, and a button up black shirt made of some synthetic silk. It had felt really nice, and Harry thought he looked sharp in it as well. Jess had shared her similar opinion and told him how the black really went with his hair. Speaking of his hair though, he would have to get it cut; it was growing out of control.

Harry laughed at this and hoped that whatever he had done to it would not be reversed as it had when he was younger. With that the two headed down to Barber's Point.

Red and white striped poles announced their arrival and Jess led him inside. Harry put his name on the waiting list and then sat down next to Jess.

"How long?" she asked.

"He said fifteen minutes, is that alright?"

"Oh yeah, that's great. Normally you'd have to wait thirty to forty-five."

The two made small talk to pass the short wait; Harry found out that Jess was seventeen, at the moment two years older than himself.

Finally, "Harry?"

Harry stood up and walked over to the barber, "Right here."

"Right, follow me." The barber led Harry past the counter and sat him down in a fancy looking seat. Soon, Harry had an apron on to keep his hair from getting all over him.

"How do you want this done?"

Jess took over from there, much to Harry's relief, "We want the sides trimmed down and the top shortened up a bit, but just enough so that the hair can still be pulled around and messed up. Probably a number five on the sides."

The man nodded in agreement, and Harry was slightly nervous, he had no idea what Jess had just said and how his hair would turn out.

A half hour later, and much mumbling by the barber ("I swore I already trimmed this part down. Sorry son, it'll be just a little longer") had Harry looking into a mirror and liking the results. His black hair was still messy, it just wasn't in his eyes, and Harry felt that it could probably still do a good job of covering his scar. Not quite good enough apparently.

After walking out of the store Jess turned and inspected him. "Well Harry, you look very nice, only one more stop before I think you should have enough clothes." She stopped and put a finger to his forehead. "What's this?"

There was of course only one thing that she could have been pointing at, but Harry asked anyway, "What's what?"

"This scar silly," she said giving him a light tap on his shoulder.

"Oh, I've had it since I was one, got it in a car crash," he repeated the story that the Dursley's had told him many times.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, its fine." She couldn't possibly know that the same 'car crash' had taken his parents lives as well, and he wasn't about to tell her.

With that she led him back down the street and around the corner to their "last stop of the day," the Quicksilver store. Harry had smiled at that because she had said the same thing three stores ago.

Upon entering, Jess led Harry to the men's section and then started to pick out tee shirts and jeans for him to try on. Harry thought a number of them were nice, but they were dismissed by Jess before she finally settled on some green tees.

"These will really work to bring out your eye color."

Harry grumbled, "How come all of my clothes always have to bring out my eye color?"

Jess laughed and answered, "Because your eyes are fabulous. I've never seen eyes such an intense shade of green."

Harry thought about his eyes, green, the same color green as the curse that stole his life from him.

As the two walked towards the counter to pay for the four tee shirts and one pair of jeans that Harry, no Jess, had picked out, they passed a display of sunglasses and Jess stopped.

"Huh?" Harry asked stupidly.

"Do you have a pair of sunglasses Harry?"

"I don't, no."

"Well then its time you get a pair." Jess called over a sales representative and asked to try a few of the sunglasses on Harry who happily obliged and opened the display.

It wasn't long later in retrospect that Harry was walking home wearing his brand new Frazer sunglasses by Quicksilver and carrying five bags of clothing from five different stores. He was still in a daze from the day's events. He had been with Jess for near four hours. That was at least three hours longer than any previous trip he had made to Diagon Alley for shopping.

Harry looked at his new watch, 4:45. No wonder he was hungry, he hadn't eaten since breakfast, and shopping was hard work. He hadn't minded spending the time with Jess though, who he was glad to note thought he was completely normal. The name Harry Potter had meant nothing to her before their meeting. His mind ran back to their last conversation ten minutes prior.

"I have to go Harry, got to be at home at 5:00 for dinner with the family."

"Well, thank you Jess for helping me with my shopping troubles."

"Not at all Mr. Potter," she teased, "I'm more than happy to shop and spend someone else's money."

"Well, it was going to get spent anyway, you might as well have fun spending it!"

"I was hoping that maybe I could spend some more of your time sometime," she started. "I'm usually at the Café Mocá at 11:00 on weekends for my caffeine fix if you want to come see me. I'm pretty busy during the week though."

Harry nodded, "Yeah I will be too, but I'd spend some more time with you. 11:00 you say?" Jess nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks again Jess, but I, too, better be off."

"Bye Harry," she said.

"See you later Jess," he had said as he turned around and practically skipped back towards the Potter Residence.

Remus appeared out of nowhere when Harry got back to Charing Cross St and passed by Shaftesbury Ave.

"I see you had a productive afternoon," he teased. "So who was the girl?"

Harry blushed faintly. "Her name was Jess, she's seventeen and a muggle. I liked that though. To her, the name Harry Potter meant nothing. Its nice to not be recognized."

Remus nodded his head, "Well, I'm glad you had fun. And I'm especially glad that you won't be wearing rags anymore," he added with a smile.

It wasn't long before they came to the entrance of 7 King St and Harry walked back into his home.

**(A/N:** Well! Perhaps the dates with Cho were worth it. Look at our little Harry, all grown up. ::tear:: For those of you that are against other characters, Jess won't be a major part of the story, though she will appear again. What's going to happen next? Harry's training of course! Hope you all are looking forward to the next chapter. I honestly don't know how long it will be, but it may be longer than this one, which weighed in at a hefty 6100 words. All the stores mentioned are real. The Carnaby Shopping area is real. The streets mentioned are accurate, and if the Harry Potter Lexicon is to be believed then so is the location of the Leaky Cauldron. Also, Tesco is a real, large grocery store chain in Great Britain.  I have to say I enjoyed myself writing in some of the more subtle jokes, such as the ridiculous amount of decimal places on the exchange rate, let me know in a review if the subtle humor is enough, or if I should make it more blatant!)


	3. Rigorous Training Regimen

**Disclaimer! **I do not own Harry Potter. I do not make any money off the following publication. I own only the plot and bragging rights if I'm right (to what you'll see at the end of the chapter). Also, due the mentioning of real people in this chapter I feel I should make the claim that nothing that I say about them and their involvement in the magical community is true.

.:oOoOoOo:.

**Chapter Three - Rigorous Training Regimen**

Sunday rolled by in a flurry of activity. Order members had been coming in and out of the house all day dropping off reports for Dumbledore. A few of them took the time to stop and talk to Harry, but many had to run off as soon as they had arrived. Remus did his best to keep Harry company, but his main duty that day was to collect the reports for Dumbledore.

Thus, Harry spent the day talking and reading. That night though left him with a since of anticipation, he would begin his training. Even though he was up late he woke bright and early at 8:00. After a shower and breakfast, at which Dobby had again piled his place far too high with food, it was 9:00. Remus came down and the two talked for a bit, Harry asking mostly about his training.

Remus asked Harry, "Well, I get you once a day, and today we can either choose to work on spells, or we could do some physical training. It is up to you."

"Hmm," started Harry, "Let's see if there are any spells that Tonks is going to teach me that I'm having troubles with. If I'm not then we'll do that physical conditioning thing."

Remus nodded and said that it was a good plan. The conversation turned to Dumbledore's lesson plans and Remus admitted he had no idea what the old wizard was going to be specifically teaching Harry, but did say that Dumbledore planned to educate Harry on specifics of wizarding culture and society. Harry admitted that it might be useful. He knew virtually nothing about wizarding society except that it was autonomous from the muggle society and that the Minister of Magic headed it.

At 9:50 the front door opened and a girl, about age 23 with neon purple, short hair walked in. She was wearing muggle jeans and a _Howling Banshees_ tee shirt.

"Wotcher Harry!" she greeted in a very typically 'her' fashion.

"Hiya Tonks!"

"Hello Tonks," Remus said. Tonks greeted him in return.

"Well Harry, Dumbledore says I'm to come and teach you spells, so that's what I'm here for. He said he thought that the auror training regimen would be a good start. I say you probably know the simple ones, _expelliarmus_, _stupefy_, _impedimenta_, _protego_, _reducto_, and the like. So I'm only here to teach you the fun stuff it seems like."

Tonks suddenly whipped out her wand and yelled, "_Funis necto_!"

Immediately Harry was tied up in rope.

"Now you see that one," said Tonks laughing "is the standard auror method of restraint, as you can tell it is slightly different than its counterpart _incarcerous_ in that the ropes are conjured pre-wrapped around the victim. This makes it more useful to quickly bind or distract someone, but the downside is that it is easily dispelled. There are, however, other fun uses for it too!"

Harry groaned at the obvious innuendo and tried to untie himself, grappling at false knots.

"Don't bother Harry, there are no knots to untie, those are just more for decoration and to give the prisoner false hopes. Here though, I'll get you out of it. _Finite Incantatem_." The ropes around Harry instantly vanished. "_Finite Incantatem_ would not have worked on _incarcerous_, as those ropes are real, not magical ones."

Harry nodded "Okay, and thanks Tonks for getting me out of that, it was rather uncomfor -"

"_Decido_!" Tonks yelled, cutting Harry off. Harry was flipped upside down in the air.

"Not funny Tonks!" he yelled as she started to laugh at him. "Not funny at all!"

"Oh come on Harry," she poked him and he squirmed, "this is good fun!" She continued to poke him and he started to laugh as she hit his sides. "Ah, ticklish are we?"

"No!" gasped Harry, "Not ticklish! Not -" he was cut off by his own laughter as she poked him in the side again. "Stop!" he was yelling now, she was just laughing. "Remus help!" he yelled.

Remus was in tears over to the side. "I think - that you are doing just fine on your own Harry," he said as tears of mirth ran down his face.

However much fun she was having though, Tonks let Harry down after another minute like that, for which he was very grateful. He did promise to get her back for that one though.

It was during that hour that Harry practiced those two spells, albeit against a test dummy that Tonks conjured up. Tonks wasn't yet ready to submit herself to Harry's not yet mastered spells, as there were some rather serious things that could go wrong on casting them.

"No Harry, its 'foo-niece 'neck-toe. And the wand movement is more of a swish than a flick," she said as the ropes that Harry conjured fell loosely about the dummy." Harry was suddenly reminded of a certain event in his first year with Hermione but tried again. "Yeah, more like that, nice try." That time the ropes had at least hung onto the dummy, but they still weren't tight enough.

Tonks commentary was very helpful and by the end of the hour he had mastered the rope-binding spell, and was making good progress on the inverting spell.

At 10:55 Dumbledore walked in to see Tonks bound to a chair. "Oh my," he said smiling and with a twinkle in his eyes. "Have I come at a bad time?"

Tonks gave him a look at which he simply chuckled.

A quick _Finite Incantatem_ by Harry released Tonks from the spell. "Thanks a bunch Tonks," he said. "I'll have those two spells down by the time I see you Wednesday. Remus and I will work on them later today." Remus nodded his agreement.

"Alright then Harry, I'll see you in two days. Thanks for letting me help you, it was the most fun I've had in weeks!" the three laughed at this and Tonks left through the front door.

Dumbledore chose to sit in a chair near Harry and started immediately. "As I told you a few days ago Harry, it is still imperative that you learn Occlumency, especially now that you know the full contents of the prophecy." Remus's eyes bugged out a bit at this news. "Not a word about that to anyone Remus," Dumbledore said noting Remus's reaction.

Remus nodded.

"We cannot risk that Voldemort will gain its knowledge. So, let us begin. Have you been doing any mind clearing exercises?"

Harry shook his head, slightly shameful.

"Well that is fine, however, I will require that you start doing them nightly. Is that understood?" Dumbledore asked lowering his head a little so that he could peer over the tops of his spectacles. Harry nodded.

"Excellent. It is of paramount importance that you be able to clear your mind, for that is the most basic defense against any invader."

Harry nodded. "I will get started on those exercises right away sir."

"I have spoken with Severus about his training with you last year. And I have concluded that he was not approaching the subject in a," Dumbledore paused, "correct manner." Harry snorted. "I want you to know that I will not be searching for such memories when we practice, not without warning at least."

Harry nodded. "Thank you Headmaster."

"Now Harry, I want you to find a position that is comfortable for you."

Harry moved to the ground and sat cross-legged before deciding that _that_ position was not going to be very comfortable for long. He moved back up to the couch and slouched down, but realized that his back would be hurting before long and moved again.

"Might I suggest you try lying down Harry?" Dumbledore said with that annoying twinkle in his eye.

Harry was out of ideas and so did lie down at Dumbledore's suggestion. After rolling around a bit trying to find the most comfortable position he found that lying on his back was best.

"Well then Harry if you are set I want you to begin attempting to clear your mind. I will be aiding you in this through use of my legilimency."

Harry gave him an odd look but began to attempt to clear his mind. It was a frustratingly difficult procedure. He had thought that he got it about ten minutes into the exercise, but he still was holding onto one thought, '_don't think of anything, don't think of anything_.'

Dumbledore watched Harry's progress as a passive observer until Harry got to the point that the only thought he was left with was the one that was allowing him to no think of anything else. Dumbledore then used his legilimency to help Harry push even that thought away.

To Harry it was an odd feeling, different in every way than when Snape had been pulling thoughts from him last year. Dumbledore was using his legilimency to push his thoughts away, and it was helping. Soon there were no thoughts in his head, and the only focus was his eyes looking at the backs of his eyelids. The blackness seemed infinite; it stretched on forever, and it was difficult to not try to comprehend it.

"Very good Harry. I want you to reach that state at least once a night; I should think that it would help you fall asleep. In my old age and with all my worries I find myself using the method quite often."

Harry smiled.

"Now, I do believe it is time for me to go, and for you to eat."

Harry looked at his watch, and to his amazement it was already noon. "Have a good day then Headmaster."

"I shall see you tomorrow Harry."

Harry gulped, appetite almost immediately gone. Tomorrow he would be dueling with the only wizard Voldemort ever feared.

As Harry walked into the dining hall Remus, and an overly excited house elf greeted him.

"Dobby was watching Mr. Harry Potter sir practice and knows that Harry Potter is a fabulous wizard sir!"

"Um, thanks Dobby. And thanks for lunch, I'm starving."

"Harry Potter is a great wizard sir!" said Dobby as he popped off.

Harry glared at Remus who was laughing. "Oh Harry, everyone adores you, even house elves and muggle women!"

"Oh sod off," said Harry as a smile cracked through his glare and he bit into a ham and cheese sandwich, which caused Remus to laugh even more.

"I do believe Harry, that you are a source of unending amusement," Remus said to the boy sitting next to him.

"Thanks," said Harry, mouth full of food. "I think," he added after Remus began to laugh again.

After lunch Harry once again walked into the living room, which had been re-arranged for this morning activities. All of the furniture had been moved to the sides of the room, leaving the floor open for spells.

It was in that room that Harry finished getting the inverting spell right, and even got to try it on Remus, though Harry let his father's friend down fairly quickly.

"Wonderful Harry. Now I know that our time is officially up, but I was wondering if you wanted to spend some time in the muggle room, I could start to teach you that song."

"I'd love that Remus, thank you."

With that Remus led Harry out of the living room and up the grand staircase to the third floor and into the muggle room. He sat down on the piano bench, and briefly reflected on how cushioned and comfortable the leather was.

He placed his fingers on the ivory keys of the grand piano and gently pressed down one. The F above middle C, though he didn't know it. Again he pressed it, and slowly crescendoed the music as he went up two notes. Pressing the top note again, he descended the scale, at the same time softening the music. Again he rose the scale.

The song was simple, it was taught to beginning piano students, but at that moment, it was the most beautiful thing that Harry had ever heard. He made Remus play it two more times before he himself sat at the piano and was taught it. A single tear made its way down Harry's cheeks as he began to pick out the notes that Remus showed him. An hour later, Harry had the short piece committed to memory, but he stayed their playing it for another two, and Remus watched, thinking that as sad as it was, that piano, and that song may be the best connection that Harry had to his mom.

When he was finally done playing that piece he turned to Remus and asked, "Is there any way that I could learn to play?"

"I don't know Harry, I don't know anyone that can play the piano that could teach you, and right now times are too perilous to send you to muggles to learn. But I'll look around and ask around to see if I can get anyone to teach you. I promise to make a good effort to do so."

"Thanks Remus." Harry walked over to Remus and tentatively gave him a hug. Remus hugged him back; Merlin knew that the boy had not had enough of those in his life.

The next morning found Harry very nervous. Dumbledore was coming to practice dueling. Dumbledore, the man that Harry knew was the most powerful wizard alive. Dumbledore, the wizard who had until recently been divine and infallible in Harry's eyes, though the amount of respect that Harry held for the wizard had gone up once he revealed his faults.

It was 9:55 when the door opened and Dumbledore entered the house.

"Hello sir," Harry greeted him nervously.

"Ah, good morning Harry. Don't look so nervous, it won't be bad." With a smile Dumbledore walked into the living room, which was still arranged as it had been yesterday. He began to cast spells on the walls, floor, and ceiling.

"Excuse me sir, but may I ask what you are doing?"

"Forgive me Harry, of course you may ask. It is through questions that we learn after all. As to what I am doing, I am simply making sure that your newfound home doesn't suffer any damage from stray spells. That wouldn't do at all I'm afraid."

"Oh, thank you sir."

At 10:00 sharp Dumbledore was done warding the room and invited Harry to come to the middle with him.

"As of right now, you know very few dueling spells, though you will be learning many throughout the summer, both from Nymphadora and myself. These spells will be added to your arsenal of spells that will be available to you in a duel. I will be teaching you one new spell a day, which will be introduced to you during our first duel. You will try to dodge or block the spell without any knowledge of what it is. After the spell has been introduced you will guess as to what it does, which should be fairly obvious if you have been hit by it, and then you will learn the spell, and any way, if possible, to defend against it.

"Remember, I will only use spells that I know you know, except for the one new one each day, so do not be so nervous."

Harry smiled, that news calmed his fears a bit, though he knew that the power behind all the spells that Dumbledore threw at him would be enormous.

"Are you ready Harry?"

Harry nodded.

"Then bow," they both bowed to each other, "and begin."

"_Catacrus_!" Harry began. The slightly red leg-locker curse flew from his wand, but Dumbledore blocked it expertly with a _protego_ shield.

"_Funis necto_!" Harry tried the new spell he had learned, but it was quickly dispelled. It had taken Dumbledore a little bit of time though to get the dispelling charm off.

"_Stupefy_!" the red stunning curse shot out towards Dumbledore, but the shield that was still protecting the wizard absorbed it.

"_Impedimenta_!" Dumbledore finally countered with a spell of his own.

A hastily thrown up shield stopped that jinx, but it was crushed by the power behind it.

Dumbledore continued on the offensive causing Harry to duck under the next spell, a full body bind. By this point it was all Harry could do to try to throw up more shield spells and dodge hexes, jinxes, and curses that he was not going to be able to block. It was ended when Dumbledore cast, "_Ignipoten_!" The curse shattered Harry's shield and knocked him to the ground, causing him to lose his wand, which Dumbledore immediately summoned.

"Really Dumbledore," Remus said after rushing over to Harry. "Was that necessary?" Remus fed Harry some chocolate. "Are you alright Harry?"

"Yeah I am. That was a wonderful curse professor. Crushed my shield." Harry tried to stand, but fell back down to the ground.

"Careful Harry," said Dumbledore who was helping to steady his pupil. "Do you know what that spell was?"

"No," said Harry, still a bit groggy. "But it was a good one. Dead useful really."

"It was a blasting curse, quite a popular dueling curse if I do say so myself. Its purpose is to break shields. It does this by concentrating the entire pressure of the spell onto one point of the shield. What do you imagine would be the defense against such a spell?"

"A really powerful shield?" Harry guessed. Dumbledore chuckled.

"Yes I suppose that that would work, but a better defense would be to either dodge the curse in its entirety, or to deflect it away from your shield with another spell, preferably something that takes little time to cast. We will be getting into those charms soon enough, but what I want you to use for now is the charm _gelu_. This charm is used to preserve things in cold, and if it hits an opponent it could cause frostbite if the intensity is enough. But what I want you to do is to intercept my blasting curse with _gelu_. Do you think you can do this?"

"I can try sir."

"Very good then. Let us begin. Remus, if you would cast a second shield charm over Harry here. I doubt that he needs to feel the curse again so quickly should it hit again." Remus obliged him and Harry set his own shield charm up. "Are you ready Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Alright, _ignipoten_!"

"_Gelu_!" Harry yelled. His aim was slightly off however and it hit the fireplace where Dumbledore's warding absorbed the spell. Dumbledore's curse did not stop until it had busted the shield that Remus had placed around Harry.

"Your aim was only slightly off Harry, a very nice try. Now lets do it again. Remus, if you would." Remus again cast the shield charm over Harry.

"_Ignipoten_!"

"_Gelu_!"

The two spells flew towards each other collided in mid air with a clash of sparks before ricocheting off to the sides of the room where once again the warding absorbed them. Dumbledore clapped. "Very well done. I dare say that it took me quite a number more tries before I got it my first time."

"It was luck I believe sir," came the reply.

"I don't believe so Harry, you don't give yourself enough credit. But now that you have successful diverted the curse, it is time that you yourself learned it. The incantation as you have heard is '_ignipoten_' and the wand movement is circular with a flick at the end."

It took Harry the rest of the lesson to produce a blasting curse that could destroy one of Remus's shields. He still couldn't destroy Dumbledore's. When he asked about it Dumbledore had said cryptically that Harry was still growing while he himself was not getting any younger. With that Dumbledore handed the floor over the Madam Pomfrey, who Harry hadn't noticed was sitting off on the side of the room with Remus watching the proceedings.

"Thank you sir for helping me learn that spell, I believe I should teach it to the DA this year, that is if I'm allowed to continue it."

"Of course Harry, I was actually hoping that you would continue with the club, after all, everyone needs to be as well prepared as they can possibly be in these times. A little extra defense practice cannot hurt.

"Poppy, thank you for accepting to help Harry here, but may I suggest that you look him over quickly, he was hit by one of my blasting charms earlier I'm afraid."

"Albus! I don't know what I'm going to do with you. I hope for your sake that you didn't put too much power into it. You know that one could easily suffer a concussion from being hit full force by one!"

Dumbledore had the grace to look ashamed while Madam Pomfrey muttered a few spells over Harry.

"Well he seems to be in good shape, if a little disoriented still. I don't want to have to start bringing potions with me Albus if I don't have to, so please try to be gentle."

"I will Poppy, now I have to excuse myself, I do have a couple meetings to get off to."

A chorus of 'good-bye's followed the statement and Dumbledore let himself out of the house.

"Now," began Madam Pomfrey, "I dare say I see enough of you during the school year, and I agreed to this summer training so that hopefully you will be able to heal yourself of anything relatively minor. I think that it would be a worthy time investment, after all, you do have two more years of schooling."

"Thank you for agreeing to teach me Madam Pomfrey," Harry said. "I agree that it would save you some time if I knew how to do a few spells."

"Hmph. Well, first and foremost medimagic is about empathy. Do you know what empathy is?"

Harry slowly nodded his head, not completely sure.

"Empathy is the ability to feel another's emotions and pain and the ability to find the source of those things. It is, in general, easier to use empathy on oneself than it is to use it on another. The exception to this is being in the case that one has many wounds. It is not always simple for one to perform an entire self-analysis in that situation.

"Now, we won't be starting on empathy quite yet, but I thought that it was necessary information. We will be starting with simple spells to heal minor cuts and bruises. The incantation is _delphius_, and the caster must concentrate on closing the wound and the capillaries, which are the minor blood vessels in your skin. In the case of a bruise you only have to envision the capillaries healing."

Harry nodded.

"What I am going to do is make a painless incision on your arm and you will heal it." Harry nodded again.

Madam Pomfrey whispered a word dragging the tip of her wand across Harry's skin on his arm. A small cut was made where the wand came into contact with the skin and a little bit of blood escaped.

Harry winced despite the fact that there was no pain as he brought his wand to the injury. "_Delphius_." The skin instantly closed but a second later a bruise started to form. Harry looked up at Madam Pomfrey.

"Don't worry dear, it is a common mistake when you are starting. You did not repair the capillaries. Try again."

Again his arm was pointed towards his arm, "_Delphius_." Again the blood disappeared, only to come back as a bruise slowly.

"Perhaps it is because I do not know what the capillaries look like and can't envision them repairing?" Harry offered to the mediwitch.

"Ah, I'm sorry Harry. That is most likely the reason you are not succeeding at this. Here." Madam Pomfrey immediately projected an image of a capillary blown up to thousands of times its actual size. After she explained this to him she showed what happened when the capillary broke, and then showed him what it should look like repairing.

Harry nodded and tried the spell again, "_Delphius_." On this attempt, the blood vanished and the bruising didn't occur.

"Very good Harry. Now we are going to try slightly larger cuts so that I can show you what this spell should be used for."

Harry nodded and steeled himself for the sight of blood.

By the end of the lesson, Harry had a very good idea of what that simple spell was capable. He had healed a three-inch long, half-inch deep gash in his arm with it on the second try. The first try was a failure that he passed off as nervousness due to the amount of blood that was pouring out of the wound.

After Madam Pomfrey took her leave Dobby announced proudly that lunch was being served and Harry all but ran to the dining room. The dueling with Professor Dumbledore and the loss of blood from his training with Madame Pomfrey left him quite famished. He ate a full meal of a salad, grilled chicken, and chips and drank two glasses of pumpkin juice. Needless to say he was stuffed when he headed up the stairs to the potions laboratory with Remus.

"When does Snape come to work on these anyway?" Harry asked indicating the potions that were still brewing.

Remus sighed. "Professor Snape Harry; and he comes whenever the potions need another ingredient added, sometimes in the middle of the night. They all have self stirring rods so that he doesn't need to be here for that."

Harry didn't necessarily like the fact that Snape had been entering his house whenever he wanted for who knows how long, but took it as a necessity because he was brewing the wolfsbane potion for Remus. That alone was worth it to let the greasy git in.

The potions lesson was simple, Remus first had Harry brew a potion that could be used to treat many of the same injuries that _delphius_ could. He then quizzed Harry on a number of potion ingredients and their properties.

Though Harry had been using the potions knowledge he had gained for the wrong purposes, he hadn't lied about knowing many more things due to the books and easily passed Remus's 'quiz.'

Much of the rest of the day was spent in the muggle room watching T.V, playing billiards, and trying to figure out notes on the piano. Harry did however practice the blasting curse with Remus for two half hour sessions and at the end of them could break Remus' shield every time.

That night it took Harry an hour to clear his mind.

The next morning Harry woke to Dobby shaking him. "Harry Potter sir needs to get up. Miss Tonks will be waiting for Harry Potter if he does not hurry."

Harry groaned and looked at his watch. He had ten minutes to be ready for Tonks. '_Must have really been worn out by yesterday_.' Though he was tired, he was not about to make Tonks wait for him and he quickly hopped out of bed and into the shower. Five minutes later he was downstairs and ate a light breakfast that Dobby had readied for him.

"Wotcher Harry," came the familiar greeting.

"Hello Tonks," Harry said with a yawn.

"You look tired there Harry, been busy have we?"

"Oh, just dueling Dumbledore and the medimagic practice yesterday really wore me out."

"Yeh, I'd wager it did. Hope the old man didn't go too hard on ya. Anyway, I'm here to teach, so lets go!"

She led the way into the living room and conjured the dummy that they had worked with on Monday.

"Alright, now I want to see those two spells, and mind you, the results won't be pretty if you can't do them still."

"_Funis necto_!" Harry yelled pointing his wand at the dummy. Instantly it was incased in rope. Tonks walked around the dummy inspecting the tightness of the rope at intervals.

"Very nicely done Harry. Now the inverting charm."

"_Decido_!"

Instantly Tonks flipped upside down in the air.

"Hey! What did you do that for? I demand that you put me back right this instant!"

"Oh, sorry Tonks," Harry said innocently. "I must have misaimed."

"Like hell you did."

Remus chose that moment to walk into the living room and saw Tonks hanging upside down as if by a rope and heard her muttering obscenities. With a smile and a slight chuckle he walked back outside.

Harry let Tonks down after another few seconds of hanging there. "Told you I'd get you back for yesterday," he said in a chastising tone.

"Hmph, I guess you did warn me. Still wasn't quite expecting it though."

"Constant Vigilance!" Harry said in a baritone voice, mocking Mad-Eye Moody.

Tonks did laugh at that one.

Fifty minutes later Harry was about halfway done mastering an invisibility charm. While not quite as effective as an invisibility cloak, due to the constant attention the spell required, it was useful nonetheless. Harry was having difficulty applying the spell to his entire body and had only been able to successfully apply it to his legs and arms. Tonks took the time to tell him over and over again how funny him as a flying torso with a head looked and Harry was all too glad when their lesson was over. He had little doubt as to what he would be practicing with Remus that night.

It was a few minutes later that Dumbledore started his lesson.

"Have you been clearing your mind Harry?"

"Yes sir, though it took a while last night. I had a lot to think about."

Dumbledore nodded and asked Harry to clear his mind for him. With Dumbledore's help Harry accomplished the task in fifteen minutes.

"Very good Harry."

Harry smiled in acceptance of the praise.

"Now that that is done I have another order of business to discuss with you. I don't doubt that you will not like the conversation."

Harry was a little bit worried at that mention and steeled himself for the conversation. It wasn't that necessary.

Dumbledore continued. "This conversation is going to be about the magical world and your place in it. Now I know that you do not like your position in this world Harry, you do not like your fame."

"Got that right," Harry muttered.

"You were part of a very important event that night at the Department of Mysteries. People have started talking. You are becoming more famous than you were previously. Not only did you survive a killing curse as an infant, but also now the public is forced to believe that you have escaped Tom two more times. We at Hogwarts will hold off the information that you have actually escaped him four more times for your sake."

Harry gave a sarcastic 'thanks.'

"People will want to be around you for what you are, not who you are. People will begin to try to use you to their own ends, and often time make it seem as if they are spoiling you in the process. Your reaction to somebody will make or break that person's day. In short, you are becoming an even more influential figure than you were."

"I know, but I don't want any of that. I didn't even really do anything to deserve it!" Harry said frustrated.

"I recognize your frustration. I too, do not like the fame. I often wish that I could live a normal life, but that is not the way it will be. Harry most people know you, and me, by what they hear, not what you do. With people like Rita Skeeter writing the articles in the Daily Prophet, what the people hear will be changed. The people want a hero, and they see one in you, as they did with me many years ago in the war against Grindelwald.

"As much as you don't want the responsibility that comes with the fame, I must ask that you accept it. The Order may be able to make use of it to put pressure on certain members of the Ministry of Magic."

Harry sighed. It was always him.

"I'm sorry Harry. But this is something that you, as I did many years ago, must come to terms with."

"I know sir. It's just - I wish I didn't always get all the credit. There are so many people that helped me through everything, and yet, it seems that I steal all the fame. Ron and Hermione were brilliant in my first year, and they got house points sure, but nobody wanted to know what their roles were, they wanted to know mine. Second year, Hermione did all the work, and Ron even accompanied me into the Chamber, but again, I got all the credit. The Triwizard Tournament..." Harry let that statement go. "And now finally last year, at the Department of Mysteries I was the only one mentioned by name in those articles, but there was no way that I would have made it if it hadn't been for the heroics of the other five that accompanied me. I just... I don't know."

"I know exactly how you feel Harry. Did you know that I was not alone in that final battle against Grindelwald?"

Harry shook his head.

"You see, most do not realize that I was accompanied by the entire force of aurors, and though it was I who dueled Grindelwald, it was they who kept me safe while I did so. They may have done more work that I did, and many lost their lives to the cause. They were forgotten however in the headlines. There, it was only I. And that is the way it will be remembered.

"It is unfortunate that I have to ask this of you so soon, but there are a number of trials coming up soon, this Saturday in fact. I believe that you know for whom these will be?"

Harry nodded; the Death Eater's that the students had helped to capture in the Department of Mysteries was the obvious answer.

Dumbledore continued, "We need to make sure that these individuals are exposed for what they are. We have already secured Miss Granger's, Mr. Longbottom's, and Mr. and Miss Weasley's promises to help in the trials and would like you to be present as well. It would give, added emphasis, to the importance of the trials. Cornelius is already trying to make them seem less than they are."

"He needs to be replaced," said Harry bitterly.

"He may be. I have spoken with the princes and if I ask them with your support, they will call for a vote of 'no confidence' in Cornelius. The four of us together would hold enormous political influence and I believe that it could be successful."

Harry was confused. "Princes sir?"

"Forgive me Harry, I forget myself. You did not grow up in the magical world, nor have you been exposed to it much outside of Hogwarts. But to answer your question: yes, princes. Prince William and Prince Henry of Wales are well aware of the magical world. Their mother, Diana, is a squib. I remember on the day Prince William was born, the Daily Prophet had a 'field day' of sorts. Headlines proclaimed a wizard would once again rise to the top of the English Monarchy, it was mentioned that perhaps the wizarding and muggle worlds would be reunited. Now of course, the Ministry of Magic would never allow that, but it was reported none the less, and not to their credit, many people believed it," Dumbledore said chuckling.

"Due to a very old law that was written when the magical world was still very much in control of the muggle one, though it was all behind the scenes, if there exists a member of the royal family that is of magical blood and has reached the wizarding age of reason, specified at 14 by the law, then the sole power for being able to call for a vote of no-confidence belongs to him or her. This was instituted in the magical contract, sister to the muggle contract the _Magna Carta_. In the event that there is not a member of the royal family that can call for this vote, then the Wizengamot can call for one by a two-thirds majority."

"So you are telling me that the Princes of Wales, heirs to the throne of Great Britain, are wizards?"

"Oh heavens no Harry. Prince William, the first heir to the throne now that Charles has stated he will abdicate to him, is a squib. But he still is of magical blood. His brother, Prince Henry, is a wizard. But young Henry has not reached the age of reason yet. Young Prince William did just five days ago on the 21st."

At this point Harry's jaw was hanging open. "So let me get this straight Professor. You are saying that if you and I back the movement, Prince William will publicly call for a vote of no confidence in Fudge?"

"And the public will vote in our favor Harry. It is this way that we need to use your influence most. When the time comes, we will replace Cornelius as Minister of Magic. I fear it will be necessary."

.:OoOoOoO:.

**(A/N:** Ah! The plot thickens. Will Fudge force the wizarding world to go through the vote? Or will it become unnecessary? What do you think about the identity of the Princes? Possibility? JKR mentioned that the HBP would not be Harry or Voldemort, and this is just my take on the whole deal. Anyway, next chapter should be the trials, which should offer an interesting view of magical court proceedings. If you don't recognize the incantation, I probably invented it using a handy dandy Internet English-Latin translator. That is Prince Williams real birthday, and he would have turned 14 in 1996. The _Magna Carta_ is a real document that basically took power away from the monarchy and gave it to the English Parliament. It thus makes sense that the monarchy would have insisted for this clause, to make sure that they agreed with the Prime Minister of Magic. Length. 6500 words. Ugg… lost all of what I had on the next chapter in a computer breakdown, so it will be longer than I expected. I had so much too hits head on desk.

Just a question. Are the things that Dumbledore says in this story "Dumbledore enough?" I'm trying to make it so that he still sounds old and wise, but I'm not really sure how I'm doing in that regard. I know I've read lots of stories where Dumbledore sounds like a fifteen-year-old American kid, and that really turns me off of the story. So any suggestions? Improvements?

**Emilie** – That first review is always the best. Thank you for it and the kind words.

**Mauripendragon** – I think that Remus would disobey that because of how important Harry is to him. I'd be willing to bet that Remus would disobey any order if Harry's well-being was at stake. As far as him forgiving Dumbledore, I think that although Dumbledore was an idiot in Harry's fifth year, he really came around at the end. He refused to kill Harry (and Voldemort) when Harry was being possessed and he began to finally open up. Besides, Harry takes the blame himself; it is not really his way to lash out at others. I tried to explain that a bit through his thoughts in the first chapter.

**BferBear** – Thanks, I'm going to try to keep the detail going, though these next few chapters are more difficult to insert it into.


	4. Trials and Tribulations

**Disclaimer – I don't own Harry Potter, I don't make money from writing this fan fiction. All characters and spells you recognize you recognize belong to J.K. Rowling and her publishers.**

**Chapter Four – Trials and Tribulations**

The weekend rolled by once again in a flurry of activity. It seemed that all the Order members had something to drop off, but none had the time to stick around. Well, with the exception of Arthur Weasley.

Harry talked to the elder Weasley for a half hour about Ron, Ginny, Fred and George, and the other members of the Weasley household. Apparently Percy had not come back yet, but Arthur conjectured that it was probably due to embarrassment. Harry showed Arthur the muggle room, in which the older man was fascinated. He admitted that he hadn't had a tour of the house yet, but that he didn't have time for a full tour at the moment. Harry quickly showed him how the television worked and put on the muggle sound system. Arthur, unfortunately, had put his ear next to the large subwoofer, clearly not expecting the sound that emanated from it to be so loud. The older man jumped near two feet in the air as Harry hit the power button that turned the speakers on.

Ten minutes later Arthur informed Harry that he really had to be going but that he would drop by again sometime and Harry could show him all the other interesting muggle toys. Harry had nodded in agreement.

Harry had also spoken with Tonks and assured her that he would have the invisibility charm done with by Monday.

"Well that is very impressive Harry. I was planning on continuing work on that charm Monday, but I suppose that if you will be done with it we can move on."

They then engaged in some light conversation about how Tonk's job with the aurors was going and Harry asked if Fudge was doing anything in regards to Voldemort's return.

"Well, he sure has us doing a lot more guard duty for the Ministry, but he hasn't sent us out to protect other places. I mean, sure, we have some guards at Diagon Alley and Hogsmede, but not nearly enough in my opinion." Harry nodded his head and let Tonks get on with what she had to do that day.

After dinner that night, Dobby had served roast lamb to Harry, Remus, and Kingsley who was at the house delivering his reports at the time, Harry asked Remus to help him finish practicing the invisibility charm, to which Remus gladly agreed.

By 9:00 that evening Harry had finally mastered the invisibility charm. It had taken three hours with Remus, but it was worth it in his opinion. Now he wouldn't have to rely completely on his father's cloak to go unseen. Exhausted, the spellwork was rough on the mind, Harry and Remus had lounged in the muggle room listening to music; Remus had put on some muggle band called The Beatles, and played some pool. Remus beat Harry quite easily much to Harry's chagrin.

"Don't worry about it Harry, it took me months to be able to play this game at all. I was quite hopeless at first. I'm sure you are doing better than I was to start with." The next half hour was spent with Remus teaching Harry how to properly 'shoot.' At the end of the night Harry was substantially better than he was at the beginning, but Remus could still beat him handily.

After doing his mind clearing exercises Harry fell asleep tired and content.

Sunday rolled around and Harry found himself thinking about Jess as he woke up. She had said that she was normally at the Café Mocá at 11:00. Seeing as it was 9:30 Harry figured he had plenty of time. After breakfast he approached Remus and asked if it would be all right if he could go. Remus had smiled and nodded in the affirmative, but warned Harry to be careful.

"Thanks Remus. And don't worry, I'll be careful."

With that Harry left 7 King Street, and began the walk to the Carnaby Shopping area; more specifically to the Café Mocá. The walk was uneventful and Harry found himself standing in front of the Café Mocá doors at 10:45. Nervously he opened the doors and walked inside. A quick look around showed that if Jess was coming today she was not there yet. Harry went up to the counter and asked for a recommendation on a drink. He walked back to his seat with some drink, he hadn't caught its name, and waited.

It was some time later that Harry looked down at his watch, 11:11, and sighed. Perhaps Jess wasn't going to come today. With that he stood up and walked to the trash bin and deposited his cup. A gust of wind alerted him to the doors being opened. As he turned to the doors to walk out he smiled; Jess was walking in and up to the counter.

She was placing her order when Harry snuck up behind her and pinched her side. She jumped up and spun around with a slight gasp to come face to face with a laughing Harry Potter.

"Harry!" she said "You scared me!"

"That was the plan," Harry said with a wink. "I didn't think you were going to show up."

"Well," said Jess after she finished her order, "_You_, didn't show up yesterday." Harry gave a slight wince.

"I know, honestly, I forgot. But," he added hurriedly, "I woke up today thinking about you and decided to come hoping you'd be here."

Harry and Jess made some small talk while she finished her drink. Harry asked her what she had been doing for the past week and she responded that she took a lot of fun classes including two dance classes. She also had been looking for a job, but as of yet had not found one. She asked if he had a job and Harry responded that no he didn't, and didn't actually plan to get one this summer, but possibly the next.

"So is there anything you wanted to do today Jess? Or do you already have plans?"

"No, I don't have any plans, but I'm not really sure as to what we could do. I mean, I doubt you need more clothes," she added with a smile.

Harry laughed. "I know, I could probably clothe a small army now."

Jess laughed too and blushed slightly. "Well," she began. "The cinema opens at noon. We could go see a movie if you wanted to."

Harry, never having been to the cinema before was quite keen on going. He had heard all sorts of wonderful things about it from Dudley.

"So what films are out?" Harry asked.

"Well, the two big ones right now are from America, Independence Day and Twister. They both look pretty good."

Harry played the ignorance card and asked what each of the movies was about. Independence Day was about aliens attacking Earth and Twister was about the tracking of tornadoes. Harry didn't know which he wanted to see and so left the decision to Jess, who decided that they would go to Twister. First though she called her parents and told them that she was going to the movie. Harry wished he had such a quick way of contacting Remus but shrugged it off.

Fifteen minutes later the two were standing in front of the local cinema and Harry purchased two tickets for the first showing, starting at 12:15. Harry and Jess walked inside and Harry bought the two of them popcorn and drinks for the movie. Jess had tried to pay for hers but Harry waved it off saying that it was on him.

Two hours later Harry and Jess emerged from the movie excited and talking about the tornadoes. Great Britain didn't get tornadoes, and in fact, they pretty much only existed in the Midwest of the United States. That however was forgotten as the two spoke about what they would do in the case of a tornado emergency. They laughed and joked about running away, neither being as daring as the tornado hunters in the movie.

The two continued talking about the movie for a good ten minutes after the show had ended, but it was then that Jess got a phone call and told Harry that it was her parents telling her that she had to come home. She smiled apologetically and Harry and her shared goodbyes. Before leaving she bent towards him and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks for the afternoon Harry. I had a great time."

"Um, it was my pleasure," said Harry unsurely. He was a bit startled by the move. Jess laughed, gave him a wink and then turned to walk back towards her house. Harry, in turn, began the walk back to the Potter Residence.

.:oOoOoOo:.

"How was your date Harry?" Remus asked with a knowing gleam in his eyes as Harry stepped into the house.

Harry was shaken from his reverie, "Date?"

"Well," Remus began with a smile, "that is what _I_ would call a movie with a pretty girl. But if the kids nowadays are calling it something else please enlighten me."

Harry blushed. '_I should have known that they would send somebody to watch me_.'

"So who was watching me?" Harry asked Remus.

"I was," came the response.

"You? I thought you had things to do for the Order today."

"Well, yes, normally I would. But Dumbledore and I both agreed that we should let you live as normal a life as you can. So, I took the day off and Kingsley collected the reports for me today."

Harry muttered an embarrassed "thanks."

"You know, your father was quite good at wooing young women into dates with him. It seems you have inherited some of his charm," Remus said with a wink.

If possible, Harry flushed even more, much to Remus' amusement.

The two spent the rest of the day in the muggle room watching television, listening to music, and playing pool. That night during his mind clearing exercises Harry reflected that this had been the best day of summer vacation so far.

.:oOoOoOo:.

"Focus Harry, focus. The disillusionment charm isn't simple. Remember, it is a circular wand movement, a slight flick and a quarter rotation of the wand. The incantation is '_non-vi-dor.'_"

Harry groaned. "Isn't that what I've been saying the whole time?"

"Almost, you're putting the emphasis on the _dor_ and not the _non_," Tonks told him. "And try to make the flick a bit more slight. You don't need to jerk your wrist so much."

Harry sighed. It was especially difficult to complete the charm because he was attempting it on himself. It was odd to make those particular wand movements above his own head, but once again Harry readied himself. "_Nonvidor_," he spoke clearly while doing the prescribed wand motions.

He suddenly felt the cold feeling as if an egg had been cracked open over his head. Slowly the feeling ran down his body until it hit his feet, and then the feeling dispersed.

"I did it!" he yelled, ecstatic that after forty-five minutes he had finally done the charm correctly.

"Well," Tonks began, "you _almost_ did it." Quickly she conjured up a mirror and showed Harry his progress. His body was currently covered in what appeared to be a shimmering, silvery liquid.

"Woah," Harry said, stunned by his appearance. "This is kind of neat." Tonks laughed at that.

"You did do the basic incantation correctly Harry, I think you may have forgotten the quarter turn of the wand. That liquid is actually supposed to happen, but it is supposed to blend into the background so that anybody looking at you can't see you well."

Harry nodded, cast a quick _Finite Incantatem_ on himself to get rid of the failed disillusionment charm and began again. The silvery film was all he was able to accomplish by the end of the lesson and he promised Tonks that he would work on the charm with Remus that night.

After Tonks left the house Dumbledore arrived. A quick conversation about what he had been learning with Tonks led Dumbledore to change his lesson plan for the next day.

"Ah, in light of these charms that Nymphadora is teaching you I believe that it would be prudent for you to learn countermeasures," Dumbledore had said, and Harry agreed. That done the two continued with Harry's Occlumency

The Tuesday lesson with Dumbledore was spent learning what Dumbledore called a mist charm, but Harry didn't think that it quite fit the spell. The spell _did_ in fact bring mist into play around the caster, but it was also much easier for the caster to see out of it than it was for an opponent to see into it. When Harry had asked how this helped to detect people with an invisible charm on Dumbledore had demonstrated.

As the Headmaster walked through the mist his body produced a void in the mist. It was in this way that one could tell there was something there that was invisible or disillusioned. Harry immediately saw the use of such a spell, and not just for finding invisible people. It was one spell that he was going to keep in his repertoire.

The next few days leading up to the trials passed in a similar way. Dumbledore and Harry continued work on clearing Harry's mind very quickly. This was necessary, Dumbledore had explained, because Tom would not wait for Harry to get his defenses up when he attacked. Harry would have to be ready and be able to activate his defenses as quickly as possible whenever an attack came.

Remus taught Harry a rather simple potion that was used to cure acne that Tuesday night that week.

"Are you insinuating something Remus?" Harry had asked the older man barely keeping the grin off his face.

"Of course not," Remus countered, "but if you ever need it, you'll know how to brew it," he added with a wink. "I'm actually kind of surprised that you haven't had any acne yet, it usually happens to kids your age. Harry shrugged it off and told Remus he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Tonks continued to work with Harry on the disillusionment charm on Wednesday as he had not been able to master it with Remus the night before. While he had gotten the liquid to actually change colors, the colors changed were always a little bit off of what they should have been. After apologizing to Tonks about not being able to finish the work on the charm he had been told not to worry about it as he was making faster progress than she had hoped in the overall curriculum.

"Honestly Harry," Tonks had begun, "I'm surprised you've made as much progress as you have. This spell is considered difficult even in auror curriculum."

Harry had flushed a bit and muttered 'thanks.'

Madam Pomfrey began a lesson that would take the next week to learn. The lesson comprised of a trio of spells that were used to heal larger cuts that _delphius_ couldn't cure alone. The first of these spells had been a blood-clotting spell. It was necessary to stop the blood loss associated with the kinds of wounds that would be dealt with. The second, which is what Thursday was spent learning, was a mending spell. This spell was much like _delphius_ in that it mended the skin and blood vessels back together but it worked on a much larger scale. As such this spell drained a lot of the caster's energy, much more than _delphius _did. Healing spells, Madam Pomfrey had explained, worked by transferring energy from the caster to the wound. The magic of the caster was drained onto the wound to heal it and thus the caster would find himself magically pressed for some time while his/her magic recuperated.

These lessons with Madam Pomfrey were especially draining on Harry because of the wounds inflicted that were necessary to learn the spell. During the Thursday potions lesson with Remus, Harry was taught how to make a blood-replenishing potion, and for that Harry was very grateful.

Friday rolled around quickly what with all the training Harry was doing during the week and Harry found himself being woken by Dobby so that he could be up in time for Tonk's lesson.

Rolling out of bed Harry stepped into his morning slippers and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. As he slipped out of his clothes Harry caught a look at himself in the mirror and was a little shocked by what he saw. His body was very pale, much more so than it even was while he was mourning over Sirius. He decided that he would bring it up to Remus at breakfast.

Fifteen minutes later Harry stepped out of the shower, dried himself off, dressed, and then headed downstairs.

"Remus!" he called and noticed that it took effort to speak.

"Harry?" came the reply. Harry finished descending the stairway as Remus came out of the kitchen. When the older wizard saw him he rushed up and put his hand against Harry's forehead.

"Harry, you're burning up, and you don't look good at all."

"I feel alright," Harry said.

"Ridiculous," Remus waved his hand in the air. "You're going to need to call off the lessons for today and rest."

Harry was about to protest when Remus continued. "I'll tell Tonks that you are feeling under the weather today. I imagine she could use a break also anyway. I'll also let Albus know that I won't have you doing Occlumency with him today. Perhaps he has something else to do with you."

"But Remus. I just feel a little bad, I can still do my lessons," Harry protested weakly.

"No, when you're sick you aren't supposed to do anything until you get better. Trust me, I know all about feeling so," Remus replied grimly.

"Remus, I want to do my lessons," Harry countered again.

"Absolutely not! Why are you being so difficult about this? First priority is for you to get better. Remember, you have to attend the trials tomorrow and we want you in tip top condition." Remus gave Harry a look that clearly said 'no more arguing about this' and Harry reluctantly gave up.

"Now," began Remus again. "Let's get you back up these stairs and up to your bed. I'll have Dobby serve you there." Remus bent down to pick Harry up but Harry flinched away.

"I can go back up on my own Remus," he said firmly.

"Harry, don't be silly. You are in no condition to be exerting yourself. I know how difficult the walk up these stairs is when you are not feeling well. I'll carry you up."

With that Remus bent down once again and picked Harry up in his arms. It briefly crossed his mind how small Harry was in comparison with James at the same age, but he passed it off as Harry getting those particular genes from Lily.

A minute later found Remus setting Harry back down on his bed in the master bedroom.

"Dobby?" Remus called for the house elf. Nearly instantly the loyal elf appeared.

"Mr. Lupin sir, what is it that you be needing?"

"I just need you to bring Harry's breakfast up to him Dobby. He is not feeling well today."

Those words brought Dobby to look over at Harry who smiled weakly at his odd friend. Dobby muttered under his breath and then looked up at Remus. "Mr. Harry Potter sir is lacking in blood Mr. Lupin sir. If you is wanting Dobby to Dobby could provide Mr. Harry Potter with a potion and sleep after Dobby be getting Mr. Harry Potter's breakfast."

"Yes Dobby, that would be great," Remus replied, relieved to know that Harry was suffering from something trivial. Dobby popped off. Turning to the boy in question, "I guess that blood-replenishing potion wasn't as perfect as I thought it was. Sorry about that Harry."

"Don't worry about it Remus. I'm sure that Dobby will have me fixed up in no time at all."

"Yes, I imagine he will," Remus replied as Dobby popped back with Harry's breakfast. The house elf set the tray down over Harry's stomach and helped prop Harry up against the headboard of the bed with pillows supporting his back.

"Thanks Dobby," Harry said with a smile.

"Dobby is not deserving of Mr. Harry Potter's thanks. Mr. Harry Potter is a great wizard sir. Dobby will be back with Mr. Harry Potter's potions." Dobby popped off again.

"I wish I knew why he keeps saying stuff like that," Harry voiced to Remus. "Sure I freed him from Malfoy, but even before I had done that he still treated me exceptionally well."

"I'm sure only Dobby really knows," Remus responded with a shrug. "Eat up Harry, you need the energy."

Harry did as he was bid. It never ceased to amaze him how Dobby could make a simple meal such a breakfast so grand. The cinnamon rolls were outstanding and Harry noted to himself to thank Dobby again when the elf returned.

"Hello?" a call came from downstairs. "Harry? Remus? Are you home?"

"That would be Tonks," Harry said with a slight smile as he looked over at the clock. "Right on time too. I guess you better go break the news to her. She'll be heartbroken I'm sure."

Remus returned Harry's smile and excused himself from the room.

While Remus was out of the room Dobby popped back in with his blood replenishing potion and a dreamless sleep potion, which Harry had set aside for later. He wasn't ready to fall asleep again quite yet.

"Oh, and thanks for breakfast Dobby, it was wonderful."

Harry imagined that that strange color that came to Dobby's face was the house elf blushing with the praise but he wasn't completely sure. He was, however, able to understand the adoration that Dobby heaped upon him afterwards though and was just about ready to tell Dobby that it was enough when Remus entered the room, this time with Tonks in tow, and Dobby popped away with only a few more wonderful things to say about Harry.

"Not feeling well Harry?" Tonks asked him.

"Umm, not really," Harry admitted shyly.

"You don't look to good either. Remus says that your lessons yesterday took a lot out of you."

Harry nodded, "I was learning some more advanced medimagic and to top off the fact that I was performing the spells, which drain you on their own, I was losing a lot of blood due to the cuts inflicted. I had to practice on something."

Tonks winced.

"Well, at the end of the day Remus helped me make a blood-replenishing potion, but apparently it wasn't up to par. Dobby's just brought me another. I imagine I'll be fine by later this afternoon."

Tonks nodded. "Well, just make sure that you get better. We need you healthy for Lucius' trial tomorrow. We finally got the chance to land that S.O.B in prison for good. I can only hope that he won't be rescued." She paused for a second. "Well anyway, have a nice day Harry and make sure you get some rest."

"Bye Tonks," Harry waved as she left the room.

Forty-five minutes later Harry was finished with his breakfast and was looking decidedly better if not quite feeling it yet. Remus looked at the clock; 10:55.

"Harry I'm going to go downstairs and meet Dumbledore to tell him that you will be unable to practice with him today." Harry nodded his consent.

Seven minutes later Remus returned to the room, this time with Dumbledore in tow. "Ah my boy. Remus informs me that you are not feeling well this morning." Harry nodded. "Very well, its just as well that it be today that we skive off on your Occlumency. I had not planned on doing those lessons today. I wanted to talk with you instead about the trials tomorrow. As you know, Lucius' trial will be first and Dolohov's will follow. Those are the only two that you will be testifying at. Both Mr. Longbottom and Miss Granger will be testifying along with you at Lucius' trial. Miss Granger will also be testifying with you at Antonin Dolohov's.

"I want to make sure that you know your rights and a few other things as you will, undoubtedly, be cross examined by the accused's attorneys. First off, you do not have to answer anything that you feel may incriminate yourself." At this he gave Harry a pointed stare and for some reason Harry knew that Dumbledore was aware of him casting _crucio_ on Bellatrix.

"Second, you have the right to refuse Veritaserum if you should want to. But I believe that should you take it, it would weigh more heavily in our favor. Lucius Malfoy will of course refuse to be subjected to its influence."

"But sir," Harry interrupted, "what if they ask a question while I'm under the influence of Veritaserum that I do not want to answer."

"Don't worry Harry. For witnesses only two drops of Veritaserum are used. This allows for the subject to refrain from answering a question, but insures the truthfulness of any statement that leaves the witness's mouth." Harry nodded; it made sense that there would be a way to allow that.

"Thirdly, I must ask that you speak nothing of Sirius' involvement in the attack. Cornelius, unwisely, has decided to not look over the information I have given him proving Sirius' innocence."

Harry was about to start up but Dumbledore silenced him with a wave.

"Harry my boy, we will get Sirius' name cleared, but Lucius Malfoy's trial is not the place to do it." Harry reluctantly nodded.

"Fourth, there will more than likely be attacks upon your character in an attempt to prove that you are an unreliable witness. They will bring up your relationship with Mr. Draco Malfoy and what little contact you had with Lucius before this event. I must ask you to keep your head when answering these questions. Also, do not try to belittle your conflicts with the Malfoy's. Stay as honest as you can throughout the trial."

Harry nodded, knowing that it may be difficult to control his temper in such attacks. "I will try my best sir."

"I know you will my boy. I know you will."

"Sir, if I may ask, what is to become of the accused when they are found to be guilty?" Harry asked hesitantly. He wasn't completely sure he wanted to know.

Dumbledore looked at Harry over the top of his spectacles. "As first time convicts, many of those involved in the attack on the Ministry will be sent to Azkaban. Those that escaped Azkaban during the breakout last year and have been recaptured will be declared incurable."

Harry gulped. "Incurable sir?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Yes Harry. After they are declared incurable they will be executed. I'm afraid there is no other way to prevent these men from returning to Voldemort."

Harry's face suddenly returned to the pale color that it was that morning. "Ho – how will it be done?"

"A heavy overdose of a powerful sleeping potion is used. It is a painless way to be killed Harry. Remember, these men would do anything in their power to return to their master and their evil ways. I'm afraid that the only way to prevent them from doing so is by taking their lives."

Harry nodded in acceptance, his face still ashen.

"You are doing the right thing Harry my boy. I'm sorry it can't be any other way." With that Dumbledore turned from the room and walked out leaving Remus to comfort the Boy-Who-Lived.

"He is right you know," Remus said hesitantly. "Those men are responsible for many, many deaths. Not only of muggles, but of wizards too."

It was Harry's turn to sigh. "I know Remus, I just wish that there was some other way. I don't want there to be any more death."

Remus responded by hugging Harry, a hug that Harry returned. The boy had been hugged so little in his life, and it felt good to know that he was loved.

"Thanks Remus, I needed that," Harry said with a smile.

"Anytime Harry," the older wizard replied with a similar smile.

.:oOoOoOo:.

"The Ministry of Magic calls Harry James Potter to the stand," called Matt Johnson, the ministry attorney who was taking this particular case.

Harry nervously stood from his place in public viewing area and walked through the small gate separating it from where the trial was taking place. Mr. Johnson led Harry up to the witness stand and upon his being seated returned to his own chair at the prosecution's table.

Madam Bones, the judge at the trial then turned to Harry. "Will you consent to taking Veritaserum so that the court can be assured of the accuracy of your statements?"

"I will your honor," Harry replied.

"Very well then," she responded and motioned for the court bailiff to administer the potion. "Two drops please Martimus."

The bailiff nodded and Harry opened his mouth to receive the potion. As the two drops fell into his mouth he felt his mind clear. Any worries he had were completely forgotten and he felt as if nothing he knew was to be kept secret.

The court waited ten minutes to continue so that this initial feeling of the two drops would wear down and the witness would be able to refuse to answer a question should he deem it important.

After the waiting time had expired Harry was feeling mostly in control of himself and Matt began.

"Mr. Potter, if you could recount the events prudent to the case from the events after the third task of the Triwizard Tournament."

The apprehension in the room was nearly palpable and nearly half of those in attendance took a sharp intake of breath. Harry noticed that the reporters present already had quick quills jotting down notes that were, no doubt, inaccurate to the point of being sickening.

"After taking the cup at the same time as Cedric Diggory we were transported to a graveyard, the cup had been turned into a portkey. I do not know where it was. Upon arriving Cedric was killed by Voldemort's orders. He was waiting for my arrival. He needed my blood, as the blood of an enemy, to recreate a body for himself so that he could once again rise in power.

"After taking my blood, his servant's flesh, and his father's bone he completed the ritual and rose once again. He then summoned his Death Eaters via the dark mark. They complied and apparated to the graveyard. One of those Death Eaters was Lucius Malfoy. He was named specifically by Voldemort and responded.

"After that there was a duel between Voldemort and I, and I escaped by use of the portkey that brought us there along with Cedric Diggory's body."

Harry could tell that half the people in the room seemed ready to faint due to his use of Voldemort's actual name so many times.

"Thank you Mr. Potter, if now you could please tell us where you were the night of May 28th?"

"I was at the Ministry of Magic, more specifically in the Department of Mysteries."

"And what exactly were you doing there Mr. Potter?"

"I had received a vision from Voldemort of him torturing an innocent and I was there to stop him."

'_Hmm_,' Harry mused, '_so I don't have to tell the entire truth then._'

"What happened when you entered the Department of Mysteries?"

"I lead the way down hallways that were familiar due to the vision and me and the group of students I was with unknowingly made our way into the Hall of Prophecy and a trap."

"Was Lucius Malfoy present in the Hall of Prophecy?" Matt asked.

"Yes, he was. He was conveniently there under orders of Voldemort so that he could take the prophecy from me once I had picked it up myself."

There were gasps again around the court as Harry spoke the Dark Lord's assumed name, but Matt ignored them and continued with his questioning.

"So he was one of the Death Eaters present that night?"

"He was found in a Death Eater robe and mask was he not? Of course he was there as a Death Eater."

"Once the trap was sprung what actions were taken?"

"Well naturally we were trying to escape. Lucius Malfoy and the other Death Eaters present were attempting to stop us and acquire the prophecy for Voldemort."

More flinches across the courtroom. Harry noticed with pleasure that the senior Malfoy was looking vehement.

"What happened to the prophecy?"

"It broke in the fight that followed, but that isn't important sir," Harry reminded the man who nodded.

"I am done with questioning the witness your honor," Matt directed at Madam Bones.

"Very well," came the response, "Mr. Redmonds, you can now proceed with the cross-examination."

A man with deep black hair, high aristocratic cheekbones, and pursed lips gave her a nod.

"Mr. Potter," he began. "Who, if I may ask were you there to rescue that night?"

"An innocent sir. The person's name is unimportant."

"Indeed. You say that you went to the Department of Mysteries in order to stop the Dark Lord from torturing this _innocent_." Harry nodded as the man made it perfectly clear he knew who it was that Harry was there to rescue. "Why, if I may ask, did you feel it necessary to go yourself. Why would you have not informed a teacher at the very least?"

"Mr. Redmonds, you will find that certain educational decrees made this impossible. There were no teachers present that I felt I could trust with the information at that time. But I do not see how this relates to Lucius Malfoy sir."

Redmonds did not reply to Harry's observation. "You are in the same year as Mr. Malfoy's son, are you not?"

Harry knew immediately where the questioning was going next. "Yes sir, I am."

"Would you describe your relationship with young Mr. Malfoy?"

Matt Johnson chose this moment to speak up. "Your honor, I don't see how this line of questioning helps the defense. I would ask that they get to the point."

Mr. Redmonds countered, "I am merely trying to establish that Mr. Potter is not a credible witness due to his relationship with my client's family your honor."

"Your honor, my client testified under the influence of Veritaserum. It would prevent him from lying about Mr. Lucius Malfoy's involvement on the night of May 28th."

Madam Bones nodded. "Mr. Redmonds. This line of questioning will not further your case and it will cease."

"Very well then," Mr. Redmonds acquiesced. "Mr. Potter, how can you be certain that it was actually Lucius Malfoy at those two events?"

"At the first event Mr. Redmonds, Voldemort called him by name. If you think that _he_ is so easily fooled that an imposter could be standing in Mr. Malfoy's place then I suppose the fact that I recognized his voice would help as well. In the Department of Mysteries I saw his face and again recognized his voice."

Mr. Redmonds gave a sneer and informed Madam Bones that he was done with the cross-examination.

Madam Bones in turn indicated to the bailiff that he should administer the antidote, which he did. Harry was then led from the witness stand and back into the public seating. As soon as he was seated Harry could feel the final effects of the veritaserum fade and immediately he was struck by the images of that night. Retelling the story had triggered his memory of those events.

He once again saw the fake vision of Sirius being tortured by Voldemort. He saw the failed fire call to Grimmauld Place and Umbridge finding him in her office. He saw his escape and riding to the Ministry on the Thestrals along with Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Luna. He watched as he led the other five into a trap. He watched as each of them was injured because of him. He relived Neville being put under _crucio_ by Bellatrix Lestrange, he felt fear as Hermione was hit by Dolohov's 'specialty,' he felt helpless as Sirius was hit by that unknown curse and his body sailed gracefully back and through the veil of death.

He never heard the whispers of congratulations from Hermione and Remus. He never saw the two try to gain his attention when he didn't respond. He never felt pain when wood splinters pierced his hands as he crushed the armrests of his chair under a vice-like grip. He never tasted the single, salty tear that ran down his cheek and stopped at his lips as he relived the memory of Sirius' death. He would never remember being taken from the courtroom by Remus, Hermione crying for him and having to stay because she had yet to testify, his singular bobbing motion, or being transported via portkey to 7 King Street provided by Dumbledore.

Harry Potter had gone catatonic.

.:oOoOoOo:.

**(A/N:** Well, it's been a while I know and I have a good reason for that. If you read my profile you would know what it is. My computer crashed, and needed to be reformatted. I was, unfortunately, unable to save anything. So, along with losing 5000 songs I lost my outline and all work I had done on some of these chapters, as well as my will to write more. It really sucks when you have to retype what you have done. Anyway, the plan I had for this chapter would have put it at about 20,000 words so I compromised and now it is a modest 6400. The plus side to that is that I now have my outline for chapter five already complete. It will more than likely be longer than this chapter, making it the longest yet.

Also, because of the crash I found an incentive to go back and fix some things up on previous chapters. So if you haven't read since the last update the story is now about 3000-4000 words longer. Much of this was in the first chapter. I'm not sure how realistic the 'make-up' of Dumbledore and Harry is and I'm still not quite happy with it, but it will do for now.

I've got some of my main outline completed but it is not finished again, yet. I do have many of the important ideas down again and I hope crosses fingers that I haven't forgotten anything.

Oh, and thanks a bunch to all reviewers.


	5. This Photograph is Proof

**Disclaimer – Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, and many others of which I am not included. I am making no money on this endeavor, it is merely an exercise in writing. Thank you for not suing me. The lyrics in this chapter also do not belong to me.**

**Chapter 5 – This Photograph is Proof**

"Harry! Come on Harry, you have to snap out of this!"

Remus was, needless to say, in something of a panic. The boy in front of him had not been alert or responding for near an hour and Remus had tried everything he could think of to bring Harry out of it.

Remus had tried telling stories about the Marauders and their pranks, talked about Harry's parents and how much they loved him, and had even told Harry how much _he _loved him. There was no response. Harry was lost in his own mind. He was no longer bobbing, but lay down on the couch staring straight up, unblinking and unmoving.

Remus looked up as the sound of the front door being thrown open reached his ears. Quickly he stood so he could see over the couch to the door and identify who had entered.

"Harry, Remus!" a feminine voice called out.

There was an edge of panic in that voice and Remus returned, "Hermione, we are in here. Did Albus come with you?" Hermione sprinted through the doors to the living room and over to the couch, but stopped as she saw Harry's still unmoving form.

"Yes Remus I am here," the old wizard said as he entered. "Has Harry responded yet?"

"Albus, I don't know what to do. I've tried everything, I - I just don't know." Remus could feel tears threatening to come from his eyes. He felt so helpless.

"Harry is strong Remus, he will pull through this. You need not worry."

"How can you say that Albus? Look at him! He hasn't blinked in an _hour_. He's sitting there unmoving, only an occasional emotion shows through his eyes, and once in a while he facial muscles contort, and I don't even know what is wrong with him!"

Hermione spoke up. "It was the testimony wasn't it? The veritaserum protected him while he gave it, but now he is reliving that night."

Remus looked shocked at the idea, and Dumbledore confirmed Hermione's fears. "Harry has not had time to sort out his feelings about that night, and has instead survived so far by sheer willpower. He had pushed those memories away. The trial today coerced them back into the fore of his mind. I'm afraid there is little that we can do; Harry must sort through this on his own."

"Albus, there is nothing that we can do? Are you sure? I don't want to feel this useless. I've been having Dobby bring wet rags to place over his forehead every so often and even _he_ is worried about Harry."

"I know Remus, but I'm afraid it is true. Mr. Potter must work through this alone. Now Miss Granger, I must get you back to your home. Your parents are expecting you."

"No. I'm staying here with Harry. I won't leave him," Hermione replied, resolved.

"Miss Granger as I told you there is nothing that you can do for him. I assured your parents that you would be home by 4:00 and we are already late."

"Professor Dumbledore, with all due respect, I think you are wrong about us not being able to do anything for Harry, and so I will be staying here at least until he comes out of this. You can tell my parents that a friend needs me more than they do right now. I won't be leaving Harry's side," Hermione firmly stated as she flipped the cold rag atop Harry's head over; the side that had been against his forehead had warmed against his skin.

"Very well then," Dumbledore said slowly. "I shall fully inform your parents of the situation, but should they still demand that you come home I'm afraid I will have no choice but to bring you to them." Dumbledore informed her gravely.

"Then I should run away to come back here. You can tell my parents such when you see them. They will know how important this is to me. I _will not_ be leaving Harry's side while he is like this."

Dumbledore nodded, and with a muted pop disappeared to the Granger residence.

Remus had been watching the conversation with some interest. He saw in Hermione the same qualities he had known in Sirius and James. There was that same intense loyalty that found those two becoming animagi simply so they could help him during his transformations. He saw her bravery in standing up to Albus: few children had ever done so. It was then that he knew that everything would be all right. Friends such as those help one through life, no one else, not even family, can do quite that. And Harry was blessed to have such a friend in Hermione.

Immediately after Dumbledore left Hermione once again turned her full attention to Harry. She began attempting the same types of things Remus had been doing: recounting stories of their fun times together and reminding him of their friendship. Remus didn't have the heart to tell her that he had already tried that, besides, maybe Hermione would be successful with those same tactics.

Remus decided to leave Hermione alone with Harry and go to get both of them some food. Maybe then he wouldn't feel so useless.

Hermione didn't notice as Remus left the room towards the kitchen. Her attention was still entirely on her best friend.

'_Harry why didn't you talk to us about it? Why did you bury the memories of that night? You don't deserve this pain. You've had a hard enough life already._'

Tears were coming again to her eyes as she softly ran the back of her hand over his cheek and then took his hand in hers giving a gentle squeeze. "Harry, I know it's hard, but you got to pull through this. We need you to, _I_ need you to."

Harry's jaw suddenly clenched and he closed his hand over Hermione's fingers and maintained a vice-like grip.

"Harry? Harry? Professor Lupin!" Hermione yelled out. As soon as the older man entered the room however Harry's jaw unclenched and his grip on Hermione's fingers lessened, but he did not let go.

"Hermione? What happened?"

"I don't know, his jaw just clenched up and he nearly crushed my fingers. But now he's gone back to being unresponsive."

"He's done that several times so far," Remus responded then he offered her a plate. "I made some sandwiches, would you like one?"

Hermione shook her head.

"You have to eat," Remus said softly. "You won't be able to help if you have no energy."

Quietly she took a sandwich and began to eat. She finished quickly and once again began her attempts to pull Harry out of his current state.

And so this care continued until Remus firmly told Hermione that she needed sleep and took her upstairs to a guest bedroom. After all, she would be needed to testify at the trial of Antonin Dolohov the following morning.

Hermione had tried to argue, but Remus told her that they were already losing Harry as a witness in that case; they couldn't afford to lose Hermione too. Reluctantly she had agreed. When Remus returned downstairs he carried Harry up to his bed and set him down in it, then he sat down in a nearby chair and watched, hoping that Harry would wake.

.:oOoOoOo:.

Hours later a single pair of emerald eyes blinked once and then stared up at the ceiling. Soon they blinked again, and again, but now, they were blinking back tears. A single soft whisper sounded in the darkness, "Sirius," and covers were gently pushed aside.

As he pushed his body out of bed he saw the sleeping form of Remus Lupin in a nearby armchair but quietly strode by him. Soon he finished this nighttime stroll that he had made every night since arriving at 7 King Street: a stroll that ended on the fourth floor in the potions laboratory.

Methodically he chopped cut the ginger roots in perfect sections, each a centimeter in width. Unerringly he added the knotgrass as the purified water began to bubble. Faultlessly he stirred the mixture clockwise for five minutes and then counterclockwise as was required. Carefully he ladled some of the completed potion to his mouth, and blissfully he collapsed to the ground; praising whatever man had invented cheering potions.

.:oOoOoOo:.

Remus Lupin woke as the sun rose just high enough to send its invasive beams straight to the level of his closed eyes. He immediately regretted opening them and cursed the sun for being so bright. Briefly he wondered why he was sleeping in a chair in Harry's room when it hit him.

Quickly Remus rose and walked to Harry's bedside. There he found the teenager with eyes closed, taking slow, measured breaths. He was asleep.

'_Thank you,'_ Remus whispered to whoever was listening. He had been deathly afraid that Harry would be found eyes open, unblinking, and unmoving as he had left the night before had fallen asleep. His stomach lurched. '_I was asleep when he came out of it. I wasn't awake to help him._' Remus put head in his hands. '_I'll be here when you wake again Harry. I promise._'

It was 10:00 when a knocking was heard at the doors to Harry's bedchambers. Remus answered it knowing full well who would be there.

"How is he?" Hermione asked as soon as the doors opened.

"Better," Remus replied. "He's asleep right now."

Hermione nodded and rose on her tiptoes to see over Remus' shoulder.

"How did you sleep?" Remus asked.

"I hardly slept last night. I was so worried about Harry. I fell asleep around 3:00." Remus nodded. "I need to get ready. I have to testify in an hour, but tell me if he wakes before I leave. I'll come back here after the trial too." She paused. "I hope he's alright."

Remus could sense her apprehension and soothed her fears some. "He'll be fine, he's been through much more than this."

"I know," Hermione said softly as she turned back towards her room. "That's why I'm afraid."

.:oOoOoOo:.

'_Uggh_,' Harry thought as he woke. His head felt as though it was splitting apart, which was not all that uncommon for him, but unpleasant nonetheless. Slowly, he cracked his eyes open to let them adjust to the light in the room. He found it wasn't bad, for the curtains had been shut. '_But by whom?_'

Suddenly he remembered that Remus had been in his room last night. '_He must have closed the drapes, but why was he in here anyway? I... I can't remember._'

Harry racked his brain for the information he sought. Images of the trial and his testimony flooded his brain, and with them came the terrible feeling of depression over loss of Sirius. But then? Nothing. Nothing that is, until later that night when he woke feeling as though Sirius had been lost all over again, then there was the cheering potion.

His headache suddenly returned full force and his eyes closed tightly, wincing at the sudden pain. He brought his hand up to rub his forehead in a pathetic attempt to relieve it.

"Harry?" he recognized Remus' voice to his right. "Harry, are you awake?"

It was strange, that voice seemed tight with pent up emotion, sadness, worry, hope. "Yes Remus, I'm awake," he replied.

He heard the man quickly rise out of his chair and rush over to his side. Quickly he was enveloped in a hug.

"Oh thank Merlin, Harry. I'm so sorry. We didn't know that would happen and -"

"Umm Remus? What exactly did happen?"

Remus pulled back for a split second and looked at Harry before realizing himself that the boy had no memory of what occurred. "Harry, after the trial, you - you went catatonic."

Harry raised an eyebrow in return and Remus explained.

"You were lost within your own mind, we assume, reliving the night of the Department of Mysteries over and over again." Harry's face had lost all color and the memories of what happened hit him like a truck. "You wouldn't respond to anyone for the rest of that day and into the night. We were all so worried."

Harry's face was still ashen when Remus looked down at him and for a brief moment fear flashed as he thought that Harry had returned to being unresponsive. "Harry?"

Harry raised his head to look at his ex-teacher.

"I want you to know that you are not alone in this, alright? You can talk to me any time you want. Hermione too I imagine."

Harry cocked his head to the side, "Hermione?" he asked weakly.

"Yes, Hermione," Remus said with a smile. "She spent all of yesterday after the trial with you. She even stood up to Dumbledore when he demanded that she return home to her parents. Either one of us will help you if you wish Harry."

Harry nodded and Remus once again embraced the boy in a hug.

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

"1:00," came the reply. "If you are feeling alright you could make it to Macnair's trial at 2:00. I wouldn't ask you to testify after what happened last time, but if you made an appearance you could see Neville and Hermione, both of who will be testifying."

Harry nodded in agreement and rolled out of bed, a mistake. His headache returned full force and he was forced to collapse back down upon his bed as he grabbed his forehead.

"What is it Harry? Is it Him?" Remus asked worriedly.

"No," Harry managed to grind out through the pain, "its just, a headache. I'll be fine in a couple minutes."

Remus gave the boy in front of him an odd look but nodded and told Harry that when the headache subsided that he should get ready quickly if he wanted to make the trial. He would have Dobby make a light breakfast for Harry. As much as he hated to leave his best friend's son so soon after the incident Harry couldn't be coddled all the time, he was not a child anymore, and so Remus left through the double doors that separated the master bedroom from the rest of the house.

Harry took his time rising to avoid another sudden burst of pain in his head and slowly made his way through his morning routine. At twenty minutes after the hour Harry made his way down the grand staircase to the kitchen, where a light breakfast of fruits and pastries was awaiting him. Well, it was light by Dobby's standards; there was still an exorbitant amount of food upon the table.

After consuming a grapefruit half and two heated French rolls with strawberry jam Harry declared he was ready to make the trip and Remus ushered him out of the front door.

It was a twenty-minute walk to the ministry entrance and after receiving their badges (_Public Viewing Trial_), the two sunk into the ground to the ministry atrium. There were far more people milling around today than there had been last year at his disciplinary hearing. Those holding _quick-quote quills_ and journals Harry assumed were journalists covering the trials for wizarding newspapers.

"It would be best to avoid that bunch if at all possible Harry," Remus voiced what Harry had been thinking. He did not want to have a run-in with the media today, especially not after the events of the day before. So, with Remus blocking him from the sight of the reporters the two of them walked past the 'no-media' line and towards the elevator, which would take them to the ninth floor. Once there, Remus led Harry down the flight of stairs to the old courtroom, number ten, the same courtroom in which Harry had been cleared of his Underage Sorcery charge and the Lestranges had been sentenced to life in Azkaban. They entered the doors with three minutes to spare.

The courtroom public viewing was jammed packed and the full Wizengamot, this time with Dumbledore as the Supreme Mugwump, was present. Harry thought he saw Hermione's bushy, brown hair in the front row where the witnesses would be, but couldn't be certain. Remus managed to find the two of them seats in the back corner.

At exactly 2:00 Macnair was led into the courtroom through a side door by the bailiff. He was wearing a plain black robe with a series of symbols stitched onto the back. Manacles bound his wrists and ankles. Mr. Redmonds, the same attorney that had defended Lucius ('_What was the verdict on that trial anyway?'_) was waiting his client at the defendant's table.

"Welcome to the _Ministry of Magic vs. Walden Patrick Macnair_. Mr. Macnair, you are accused of knowingly and willingly becoming a Death Eater, treason against the government, attempting to acquire a prophetic record which was not his to take, and trespassing into the Department of Mysteries. How do you plead?" Dumbledore began slowly, reading the charges from a piece of parchment in front of him.

"Not guilty," came the response.

"Very well, Mr. Wilmington, you may present your case." Dumbledore gestured to the prosecutor.

And so the trial began. There were several witnesses that stated only that Macnair was nowhere to be found that night before Hermione was called to the stand. Harry nervously tried to get her attention by moving into a position in which she could see his face better, but she didn't seem to notice him in the sea of faces. Her testimony, under the influence of Veritaserum went in much the same way as his own had. She identified Macnair as a Death Eater based on his voice, which she had known from Hogwarts, and his face, which she had seen.

Then began the cross-examination. Mr. Redmonds seemed resigned to losing this case, and was not in any way thorough. He only questioned her ability to recognize his voice after so many years had passed and reminded the Wizengamot that Veritaserum only forces the taker to recount what they believe is the truth.

Soon enough she was given the antidote to the serum and Neville was called to the stand. He had by far the more incriminating testimony. Neville recounted how he had saved Harry by jamming Hermione's wand into Macnair's eye. Medical records were then presented to the court showing that Macnair had indeed been treated upon being taken into custody for a wound to the eye.

In the face of such evidence there was little that Mr. Redmonds could ask. Anything that he could have asked Neville to clarify could have possibly been even more damaging to his Macnair's case. Macnair seemed to realize this too as he was quiet throughout the ordeal, and though Harry couldn't see his face he could imagine the look of resignation upon it.

Once Neville's testimony was finished the defense presented what little it had. Mr. Redmonds alleged that Macnair was under the effects of _imperio_ at the time but there were no witnesses to support this claim and Macnair refused to testify under Veritaserum. That, perhaps, was the most damaging to his case.

And so as the defense ended its case the observing crowd already knew what the verdict would be; and so it was. A heavy majority voted Walden Macnair guilty on all counts. Only Fudge and three others stubbornly raised their hands in support of Macnair's innocence.

"Walden Patrick Macnair, you are found guilty of all crimes by the Wizengamot. Your sentence shall be life in Azkaban without chance of parole. This court is adjourned." With a smack of his gavel Macnair was led out the same door by which he entered and the crowd began to file out. All were speaking animatedly about the testimonies and the result. More than one person was heard to say, "And that Longbottom boy, how he saved Harry Potter? Amazing!"

'_Looks like Neville will be getting an unexpected lesson in fame for a little while here,_' Harry thought with a smile as he followed Remus up to the front of the courtroom.

Soon enough to two reached the front of the courtroom and Harry's heart leapt as he saw Hermione. She was quickly pacing back and forth as though she was waiting for someone to collect her so that she could leave. All the while she was engaged in a distracted conversation with Neville who was, as it appeared, trying his best to calm the young witch. As he approached further he caught a snippet of the conversation.

"- Hermione, this is _Harry_ we are talking about, he pulls through everything -"

At that exact moment Hermione turned, no doubt to berate Neville for something he had said wrong, and she saw Remus. Her eyes immediately shot around until she had located Harry a few wizards ahead of their old professor.

"Harry!" she yelled and made a beeline straight towards him, pushing past those who had the audacity to stand in her way. Upon reaching him she threw her arms around his neck and pushed her head against his shoulder.

"Hi Hermione," Harry offered awkwardly. "How have you been?"

"You prat," Hermione said as she drew back from him again and put her hand up to her right eye. "Do you have any idea how much you scared us?"

Harry briefly wondered if something had gotten in her eye before it dawned on him that she was wiping away tears. "I - I'm sorry," Harry offered lamely. What do you say when it becomes obvious that somebody cares that much about you?

"Oh Harry," she said pushing back into him, resuming the hug, and again resting her head upon his shoulder. "Why do you insist on holding everything in like you do? Don't you know that you can tell us anything?"

"I - it's just -" Harry started. "It's just hard for me Hermione - to open up like that to people."

Hermione once again pulled back and with the remnants of tears welling in her eyes looked up at him, and for the first time Harry found himself staring into the deep, chocolate brown eyes of hers and her staring into his emerald green orbs. Her eyes were begging to know why, but Harry couldn't find the words. Neville suddenly appeared beside them, saving Harry from having to find them.

"Just thought you should know," he said quietly, "you've garnered an audience." With a small smile of encouragement he began to walk towards his gran who appeared impatient.

"Neville wait!" Harry called after him, and the slightly larger boy turned around. "I've - I've never gotten the chance to really thank you for helping me that night, and, I just wanted to say, well, thanks. It meant more to me than you could know."

Neville gave a small smile and replied, "Well, you know, us Gryffindors have to stick together. I'll always have your back mate." Harry returned the smile and watched as quills of some of those that had been watching the proceedings finished scratching every word of the exchange. Those witches and wizards were now looking, with greedy expressions plastered upon their faces, towards Harry and Hermione, the latter of which was unaware of this, her head still against Harry's shoulder. They were no doubt ready to sell their copies of the notes to various wizarding newspapers.

"Like Neville said Hermione, we've got a bit of an audience right now, we should probably leave," Harry whispered in her ear. At that warning she pulled her head away from him and quickly spotted those surrounding them. Giving a 'Hmph' the two of them walked over to a waiting Remus and informed him that they were ready to leave.

Soon enough the three were in the Ministry lift heading to the atrium. As they were standing in silence Harry asked the question that had been burning in him all through the trial, "What was the result of Lucius' trial yesterday?"

Remus smiled happily. "Guilty, on all counts. He was sentenced to Azkaban for life and half of the Malfoy fortune has been seized to recompense victims of Death Eater attacks."

"And Dolohov?" Harry asked.

"Also guilty on all counts," Remus answered.

"And?" Harry pressed.

"To be executed by use of injection at a date not yet set. Until then he will be kept in a high security holding cell within the Ministry of Magic." Hermione frowned as Remus informed Harry of the verdict, and Harry, catching it, said nothing more about the subject.

Seconds later the elevator gave a 'ding' and the doors to the Ministry Atrium opened.

"THERE HE IS!" somebody screamed and everybody turned their full attention to the three that were exiting the lift.

"Oh no," Harry said, his voice low and resigned as he was suddenly swamped by reporters.

"- could we get a statement Mr. Potter about the night in the Department of Mysteries?"

"Mr. Potter, who was it that you were going to rescue that night?"

"- was rather a rash decision wasn't it Mr. Potter?"

"- why were you suddenly carried out of the courtroom yesterday?"

"Are you dying Mr. Potter?"

"Harry darling! So have my stories finally evolved to truth? Are you and Ms. Granger an item now?" The sickeningly sweet voice of Rita Skeeter assaulted his ears.

Hermione looked about ready to give some scathing reply when Remus suddenly grabbed both of the teenagers and pulled them along through the crowd which was constantly asking questions, hoping for any answer. As they finally reached the exit Harry saw Neville in the same predicament. Harry almost felt sorry for the reporter that his Gran was currently beating back with her handbag.

.:oOoOoOo:.

Thirty minutes later found the three back at 7 King Street.

"Any plans for today Harry?" Remus asked as he hung his cloak upon a rack near the entrance.

"No, I'll probably just spend the day upstairs in the entertainment room. That reminds me, Hermione, have you had a tour of the house yet?"

"No, I'll admit that yesterday I couldn't stop thinking about if you would be alright. I didn't care much about the house."

"Well then," Harry began, "welcome to Potter Mansion." Hermione gasped and Harry continued, "This, as you can no doubt tell is the Entrance Hall."

The tour of the house took less than an hour, though Harry was curious as to how long she would have spent in both the house elves' quarters and the library had he not dragged her out of both rooms to continue the tour. She had, however, elicited the promise from him that he would show her those rooms in more detail at a later date.

Needless to say, Hermione was impressed with the premises. Not only had she very nearly fainted when she was told that he had the combined Black and Potter libraries at the home, but she had become short of breath when he demonstrated how Dumbledore's shield spell had turned the living room into a perfect spell/dueling practice area and when he showed her the potions laboratory.

And though all those rooms were wonderful, she proclaimed that her favorite was the entertainment room and Harry had to agree with her. Once the tour was over he led them back to it and they lounged on the couches while Hermione put on some music. Harry didn't much care for it, the girls that were singing were far too upbeat and typical for him, but listened anyway.

I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want,  
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want,  
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really  
really really wanna zigazig ha.

"So Harry," Hermione began, interrupting his concentration on the lyrics that seemed so illogical, "how long have you been here?"

"Umm, a couple weeks into summer. I haven't been here all that long," Harry responded.

"What is it that you do here? I mean, why did Remus ask if you had plans?"

"Oh, well, they have been letting me go out into London -" Hermione looked as if she was about to say something but Harry cut her off by finishing, "- with Order supervision of course. But they've been really kind, they stay out of sight most of the time."

The conversation dropped off for a minute and the lyrics again forced themselves into the fore of Harry's mind.

If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends,  
Make it last forever friendship never ends,  
If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give,  
Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is.

'Uggh, were girls really like that?'

"So what do you do out in London?" Hermione asked.

"Oh you know, I went shopping for clothes, needed some new ones…" Harry was sure that he tinged slightly.

"You went shopping? Alone?" Hermione inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Not exactly," Harry mumbled blushing even more.

"Sorry Harry, I missed that," Hermione said. If Harry had been looking up at her he would have seen the smile she was giving at being able to torture him so.

When Harry didn't respond she let the cat out of the bag, "So, what was her name?" and Harry nearly fell off the couch

"How – how did you know?" he asked lamely. "Did Remus tell you, I'll kill him," he seemed ready to go and do just that when he was stopped by Hermione's laughter.

"Oh come on Harry, you're as easy to read as a book. And do you honestly expect me to believe that you went shopping on your own? I can tell you right now that if you had you would look nowhere as good as you do. There had to be a girl taking you. But you still haven't answered my question, what was her name?" She was still laughing softly as Harry told her that the girl was a muggle and her name was Jess.

So here's a story from A to Z, you wanna get with me  
you gotta listen carefully,  
We got Em in the place who likes it in your face,  
we got G like MC who likes it on an  
Easy V doesn't come for free, she's a real lady,  
and as for me you'll see,  
Slam your body down and wind it all around  
Slam your body down and wind it all around.

"So you still see her?" Hermione asked.

"Huh? Oh, no I don't," Harry responded, "I only saw her twice anyway, the first time she helped me shop and the second time we went to a movie. But I'm too late to see her this weekend anyway, she is at a coffee shop early." Harry shrugged. "It was just nice, you know? She didn't know me as 'Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived.' To her I was just 'Harry Potter, a boy.' It's nice not to be recognized. I wish it could be like that all the time," Harry let his voice drop lower as he delivered the last line.

"Oh Harry," Hermione said, and once again Harry found himself with his best friend leaning against his shoulder.

It was nice, Harry reflected, to be shown that affection, even in so simple a way. This was the kind of love that most took for granted, the kind that shows up every day in the little, trivial things. This was the kind of love that Harry yearned for and had searched for in his stint with Cho Chang. But she had not provided it. It was funny, he mused, that he had searched so hard for it, and it was to be found in his best friend. Why had it taken him so long to realize that what he searched for had been there all along?

"What are you thinking about?"

The question broke through his reverie and he looked down to find Hermione looking up at him expectantly.

"Friendship," he answered truthfully, "and how lucky I am with it." He offered her a smile, and she returned one.

"So," Hermione began again, "what do you do around here besides going out with muggle girls?" She let out a small chuckle again at how easy it was to get a rise out of Harry if you knew where to push. He was currently sputtering, searching for a reply.

"I – well – I – I study, and I train, and –" he began before he was interrupted.

"You train? With whom?"

"Well, with Dumbledore, Tonks, Madam Pomfrey, and Remus. Pretty much anyone who is willing to teach me."

"That is so unfair!" Hermione huffed. "You probably get to learn a whole bunch of neat stuff -"

"I'm sure you already know it all anyway 'Mione," Harry interjected but she did not stop.

"– while the rest of us have to sit and twiddle our thumbs back at our houses -"

"You could practice on your own couldn't you?" Harry tried again, but Hermione continued on her rant.

"- and there are Death Eaters on the loose, and those ministry pamphlets are rubbish. Not only do they not describe the appropriate pronunciation, but they also fail to declare the more specific wand movements. Honestly, they call the flick required in casting stupefy a snap."

Harry was having trouble identifying the difference himself and it must have shown on his face because at that instant Hermione threw her arms into the air in resignation.

A minute passed.

"Would you feel better if you trained with me Hermione? I assure you its no walk in the park." She gave a 'Hmph.' "Fine, I'll ask Remus. Do you have any idea how long you'll be here? Your parents will probably want you to come back home," he trailed off.

"Oh I don't know, I imagine Dumbledore will probably try to send me home as soon as he can. He really wanted me to go home yesterday, but I refused. I couldn't leave while you were like that. But now that you are better, I don't have that excuse any more."

"You'd rather stay here than go home?" Harry asked, almost incredulous.

Hermione nodded. "This – this world, magic," she emphasized, "it is where I belong now. My parents just can't understand that. To them, it almost seems just a dream still. Don't get me wrong, they are still supportive and everything, and they think its great that I'm happy when I'm off at school, but they can never understand what I have in this world.

"In the muggle world I had nothing but them. I – I think that is why I'm so studious now. I don't make friends easily Harry, I'm something of an introvert you might say." A tear began to well up in her eye at the admission. Harry knew how she felt, it was emotionally draining to admit such things, faults that you know you have but bury away. "They know I'm happy here, but they could never understand how happy I am. It's so hard for parents to see faults in their kids, and I don't think they realized how hard it was for me in primary school, so I can't really expect them to notice a difference now."

The tear had fallen down her cheek and Harry brushed it off.

"I'm sorry Harry, you probably don't want to hear all that," Hermione apologized as another tear began its descent.

"Rubbish, don't you know you can tell me anything Hermione?" Harry said, quoting her words earlier that day. "I may not always know what to say in return, but I'll always be here to listen," he added.

"Thank you," she said softly. He considered at that moment telling her everything, the pain he felt whenever he thought about Sirius, the use of cheering potions that he was continuing even though he was now feeling better, even his use of marijuana to dull the pain, but he couldn't force the words out of his mouth.

Suddenly, the doors to the entertainment room opened and Harry turned to find the Headmaster standing in them. "Harry my boy," the older wizard said, "I am glad to know that you have fully recovered. It is my suggestion that you take action to prevent occurrences like that in the future." Harry immediately felt even guiltier about not telling Hermione.

"However, I am not here to lecture you. Ms. Granger, you parents had informed me that I was to bring you home once Harry had recovered and now that he has I will do so according to their expressed wish."

Hermione lowered her head in resignation. "I would rather stay Professor," she voiced meekly.

"I know child, but sometimes we must do things that we do not wish to do."

Remus entered the room at that moment, "Albus, if I might have a quick word with you."

Dumbledore checked his watch, "Indeed you may," he said and he followed Lupin out of the room.

"Well," Harry said slowly. "I guess this is goodbye for now." Hermione just nodded.

"I didn't expect him to take me home so quickly after you recovered," she said.

"Well, I'm sure Dumbledore has his reasons. Anyway, it's not like I won't see you soon enough."

As soon as Harry had said it Dumbledore re-entered the room, this time followed by Remus. "Ms. Granger, we will be returning to your house as soon as possible. I will then make a proposition to your parents. I know that they must work during the days and sometimes late into the evenings and so I will offer to let you stay here during those times when they are not able to see you. Should they agree I will provide daily transportation for you."

Harry and Hermione each wore a smile upon their face.

"Thank you Headmaster," Hermione said quickly.

"Do not thank me, it was Remus' idea."

"Well then thank you Professor Lupin, I appreciate it."

"Not a problem Hermione," he answered smiling, "just make sure that your parents agree. And please, call me Remus."

She nodded and then giving a hug to Harry and muttering a quick 'see you later' she left the room with Dumbledore leaving Harry and Remus alone.

"Thank you Remus. This means a lot to her, and, me too," Harry admitted.

"I know Harry," Remus said, "She is a very good friend to you. Your friendship with her reminds me much of mine with your father and Sirius."

.:oOoOoOo:.

"Mr. Harry Potter sir must wake up, his Hermie is here!" Dobby had come in to wake him, and wake Harry did. After jumping out of bed, and having to sit back down as the blood drained from his head and caused dizziness Harry, Harry quickly took a shower and raced down the stairs where a smiling Hermione met him.

"So its alright then?" he asked short of breath.

"Yes," she replied with a smile. "Better than I expected even. I get to stay here through the week as long as I spend weekends at home."

Harry found her bright smile contagious and soon he was now wearing a matching one. "Brilliant!" he exclaimed. "I'm just going to eat, have you already had something?"

She said that she had not, Dumbledore had informed her that breakfast would be served here, and so joined Harry in the dining room. The two enjoyed a small meal and discussed those things that Harry had already learned. Hermione, needless to say, was disappointed that she had not been there for the lessons on the invisibility and disillusionment charms.

Remus made an appearance around 9:30 and Hermione thanked him again for making the suggestion. The three made small talk, mostly about the house and its history, until Tonks arrived at five till the hour. Remus then took the time to explain to Tonks the recent developments and the young auror was delighted to have another student.

"Makes me wish I had something more exciting for today planned," Tonks had said, "but oh well, can't go breaking from the curriculum." That said she flopped down upon a couch and motioned for the two students to sit as well.

"Harry, what do you know about the significance of spell color?"

"Well, I know that curses are usually red or orange-red and charms tend to be more yellow or gold. The only green spell I know of is the killing curse."

"A very good start. Hermione? Anything to add?" The other surprised Harry by shaking her head. "Well, Harry like you said, curses are usually red or orange, and though that is a good guide, it is not perfect. After all bludgeoning curse is purple. What seems to determine the color of a spell is its purpose. A red curse, like crucio, is going to affect either the nervous or circulation system, or will confuse the brain. The same goes with a red hex, jinx, or even charm.

"An orange spell, such as the knee-reversing hex, will affect the genome or the growth rate of the body, or in come cases, both. In that case it changes the targets genes and magically assists the change.

"A yellow or golden spell is most likely a charm, though it could be curse or hex that attacks the senses. The blinding curse for example is yellow.

"A blue spell will be dealing with the bending of time or space. You are most likely to see this in a portkey as there are not many spells that deal with this.

"A silver spell is always a defensive one. Protego is an excellent example of this. There are also some defensive spells that are gold. I forgot to mention that before.

"A purple, or violet, spell is one that has to do with physical force. This is why a bludgeoning spell will be purple, as will a tripping jinx, or even a blasting curse.

"And you were right Harry, the only curse that is green is the killing curse. We don't know exactly why, the knowledge of exactly how that curse kills was lost when the creator died."

"So basically," Harry began, "you could tell what type of spell was coming at you before you decided whether to dodge or deflect it?"

"Exactly," Tonks confirmed. "This knowledge isn't altogether that useful, but if one had no choice, one could decide which spell he or she would rather take, based on which had the lowest probability of being the most dangerous. This information is not that well known. However, we are taught at the auror academy useful and powerful spells of the 'weaker' colors. That way an opponent could choose to dodge into what was actually the more potent spell. We'll get into that later in the summer."

"Tonks," Hermione said, "is there any way to change or mask a spell's color?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Tonks said, "but you could ask Dumbledore, if anyone knows, it would be him." Harry agreed with her.

"But like I said," Tonks continued, "that the spell color can give away a spell is not well known throughout wizarding society. In fact, presently the ministry only gives the knowledge to the aurors and other magical law enforcement. I highly doubt that there has ever been a real impetus to create such a spell, and so it has probably never been invented."

The rest of the lesson passed without many questions and Tonks demonstrated with many spells while Harry and Hermione attempted to guess which spell was used. Before Tonks left she promised that the next lesson would be slightly more interesting and then Dumbledore took the show.

Harry asked Hermione if she really knew anything about occlumency and she replied that she did not. Dumbledore had, however, already known this and prepared the lesson accordingly. Harry was to clear his mind and after doing so, recall everything he could remember from yesterday, then clear his mind and recall everything he remembered from the day before, and so on. Dumbledore would be working with Hermione to get her started. It took the full hour for her to complete the task with Dumbledore's aid.

Remus appeared in the room at 12:00 and announced that lunch was served and everyone, Dumbledore included, sojourned to the kitchen to partake in Dobby's delicious sandwiches. In the middle of the meal Hermione spoke up.

"Professor Dumbledore, we were just learning about the significance of a spell's color with Tonks today and I was wondering if you knew if there was an additional charm somewhere that could be used to mask the color of one spell with another color?"

Dumbledore nodded his approval at what Tonks was teaching them but once the question was asked he was found musing. "I - do not believe that such a spell exists Ms. Granger. Truth be told, I'm not sure that such a spell is even possible. You see a spell's color is its magical signature. What Nymphadora may not have told you is that each spell has a unique color, but sometimes the difference between the color is mere picometers in wavelength, impossible for the human eye to discern." Hermione nodded thoughtfully and Harry found himself thoroughly confused at that explanation.

"However, it may be possible, do not let my ramblings keep you in your search. It is an interesting idea. Yes, quite an interesting idea." Dumbledore had a look in his eyes that gave away that he as well was now considering the possibility (was it possible to conceal a magical identifier) but quickly his attention returned to the table.

"Excuse me, Headmaster and Hermione, not only did I not understand your explanation in the slightest sir," he nodded to Dumbledore, "I'm also not quite sure what the purpose of creating such a spell would be? I can't seem to find any reason for doing so?" Harry said lamely. He knew he was missing something important, and he was.

"Harry, go ahead and ignore the explanation, it won't matter for now at least, I'll tell you later. But the possible uses for a color masking charm are endless in combat! Tonks suggested using a powerful, 'weaker' colored spell, but why not use the most powerful spell you know and mask it to be a 'weaker' color? It would be much more effective."

"She is correct Harry, the uses of such a charm could be endless, in combat that is. I see little business world opportunities for it," Dumbledore affirmed.

Harry nodded his head showing that he now understood and then asked, "Sir, far be it that I tell you how to run Hogwarts, but, have you found a Defense professor yet? I don't think I could stand another ministry installed fraud."

Dumbledore chuckled at Harry's choice of words and happily informed them that he had found a Defense teacher that was quite capable, but that the two of them would discover that person's identity along with the rest of the school at the beginning of the year feast.

After answering Harry's question Dumbledore checked his watch and announced that he had to be leaving. He had an important meeting with the school governors in a few minutes. Harry, for the life of him, could not figure out how Dumbledore could tell the time by use of rotating planets no matter how many time he had seen the Headmaster do so. And with the announcement Dumbledore retreated from the house and apparated away.

At Harry's announcement that he had nothing from Tonks to study that day Remus clapped his hands. "Excellent," the werewolf said, "I have been waiting to show you this, but now we have time." With that, he led the two upstairs to the fourth floor and out to the balcony. There, Harry was astonished to find several large metal machines with many wires, a couple bars, and a single seat.

"Muggle weight equipment Professor?" Hermione asked him.

"Remus," he reminded, "and yes, sort of. These weight machines are charmed so that one can set the exactly how much weight resistance they want by simply telling the machine. He demonstrated by sitting at a machine meant to simulate a bench press and told the machine '120 kilograms.' Hermione gasped as he completed a set of ten with what appeared to be very little effort.

He then invited Harry to try. Harry sat down and before Remus could give him any more instructions began to push with all his might against the hand-bars. His face turned red with the effort and his lungs began to burn as he held his breath. His back arched in one final attempt to give himself leverage and then he collapsed back into the seat. The bars hadn't moved a centimeter. He found that Hermione and Remus had each collapsed in their mirth. Tears were coming out of Hermione's eyes she was laughing so hard.

"Harry," she managed between bouts of laughter, "how could you -" laugh "- expect to be able -" more laughter "to lift 120 kilos!"

"Well," Harry said, his face still burning red, but this time with embarrassment, "Remus did it easily!"

The others renewed their laughter, it being louder than ever. Remus had now joined Hermione in rolling around on the floor, unable to support himself on his feet, or even his knees.

"Harry," Remus said still laughing, "I doubt you could lift sixty kilos, let alone 120."

The boy addressed began to grumble about the two 'underestimating' his abilities, which again renewed the peals of laughter. Getting a little upset he told the machine "sixty kilos!" and attempted the feat of pushing outwards; he failed again much to his chagrin, and his onlooker's amusement. Harry found that he could start at around forty kilos and he wondered at how Remus had managed lifting the 120.

Five minutes later Hermione and Remus had recovered from their cachinnation and Harry was resigned to the teasing that would follow for the better part of a week, and anytime those thrice-cursed weight machines came into view. All-in-all however, it turned out to be quite the day.

**(A/N: Longest chapter yet, and defiantly the hardest to write. I probably sat at my computer for a total of ten hours with no progress, or maybe a couple paragraphs. Frustration was rampant but I managed to grind this out, though I'm not totally happy with it. Also, I've written a one-shot to try to get the creative juices flowing; it worked somewhat, so in the future I may have to write more. Anyway, "An Epilogue to Failure (A Prologue to Nothing)" is posted. Don't be afraid of the implications of the one-shot, it is completely unconnected with this story.)**

**(A/N2: I seem to be getting a fair amount of reviews about Hermione and the Spice Girls song. Just understand that that scene is meant to be purely comical, likemany other things in this fic,and in no way, shape, or form represents the character that Hermione will have in this story. Please just look past it. Also, the lyrics are property of the Spice Girls (I think), so don't suit me over them.)**


	6. Of Men and Monsters

**Disclaimer – **I don't own Harry Potter, that honor is reserved for J.K Rowling and her publishers. I thank her for the idea that led to so much creativity and hope that she finds it in her heart to allow me to continue my tale as I am not making any profit on it. Also, the lyrics from the last chapter were from the Spice Girls song Wannabe. I believe I forgot to credit that to them, my mistake.

**Chapter 6 – Of Men and Monsters**

It was all too soon that Friday rolled around and looking back, the week had been an interesting one. With Hermione at the house, not only was life in general better and more exciting, but also was training. During Dumbledore's early dueling lesson on Tuesday the two had been taught the tripping hex, which Draco had used on Harry the previous year. Hermione, who already knew the hex, informed Harry that it could be countered by a simple shield charm, though because the spell relied on physical force it was harder on a shield than a non-physical one.

Dumbledore had nodded and the two practiced the spell together while Dumbledore would watch and comment. At the end of the lesson he had each try to block a tripping hex from him; Harry managed, but his shield fell under the strain, and Hermione's shield was crushed by the power behind the simple hex, and she was hit by what was left of it. She had been slightly discouraged, but Harry informed her that she would get better with practice, after all, he had.

Madam Pomfrey's lesson ended up just being review for Harry as she caught Hermione up to speed. Harry hadn't minded, he wasn't in a rush to land him self in a low blood situation again. Madam Pomfrey had come prepared for that this time bringing a couple blood-replenishing potions. Hermione caught on very easily and had caught up to Harry's knowledge of healing spells in that and the next session. Harry played guinea pig for Hermione for a few cuts, as did she for him.

Wednesday had gone by in a similar way. Tonks started things off by teaching the two students on ways of blocking spells without the shield charm. By the end of the lesson Harry could knock one spell out of the air with another around half the time and could summon objects into the way of spells around a quarter of the time. The latter took much more concentration, not to mention timing, than the former. Hermione did not have as much success as her training partner and though she progressed well in one aspect, she managed to intercept one spell with another at around a third of the time, she was still failing to summon objects in the way of a spell with any accuracy.

In occlumency Dumbledore had continued helping Hermione achieve the thoughtless stage and instructed Harry in the basics of how to 'file away' memories. Not only was this a basic step towards the mastering of occlumency, but it was also a useful way of being able to quickly recall facts. Dumbledore had told him that to the well-organized mind, memorization and learning in general became much smaller obstacles and it was only the application of such things that were difficult. Hermione achieved thoughtlessness twice during the hour-long lesson, 'a vast improvement' Dumbledore had told her.

The next day Dumbledore taught the two a variation on the tripping hex that flew wide and then arced back in. This hex was useful in that it was often not realized that it was going to hit until far too late, as Harry had demonstrated perfectly. Dumbledore then showed the two how call a shield charm, the counter to this hex, into existence at one's side, without having to turn that way.

Remus, during his time with the two, had them master an advanced numbing potion that they had begun work on, on Tuesday, and which was on their curriculum for the next year should they take NEWT potions. Hermione got it perfect to Remus' slight surprise, but Harry set him straight on Hermione's talents. When Remus had examined Harry's potion he pointed out a couple things wrong with it, but congratulated him on a job well done overall.

That night, 'last night,' Harry reminded himself as he spooned another bite of Frosted Flakes into his mouth, he had beaten Remus at pool for the first time; and though he claimed it was luck, Remus pointed out that he had become much better over the course of the weeks.

Harry brought his head out of the clouds and back to reality. He was currently sitting with Remus and Hermione for breakfast, Dobby had made waffles, and those two were currently holding a conversation on the creation of spells. Hermione, over the course of the week became more and more intent on seeing about a color-changing charm and in that same period of time had completely enthralled Remus with the idea. Harry had to admit that he too was warming to the non-existent charm the more Hermione spoke about how it could be used.

Briefly he tried to follow the conversation. Somewhere between something about knowing the physics behind wavelength (Hermione kept mentioning lambda, whatever that was) and complex arithmancy equations Harry lost his concentration, not to mention interest.

Tonks arrived five minutes early as always and the lesson was a continuation of the last, except this time Tonks had them summon objects in front of any red, orange, or yellow spell, while they were to deflect other colors off course. Harry recorded five successfully countered spells in a row, and he physically dodged three others before being hit. Tonks told him to take a lesson from that, once you get on the defensive it is almost impossible to turn the duel around in your favor.

Hermione could successfully get two in a row frequently, but she could never get up to the next level. Tonks spent a little extra time with her practicing precise summoning and banishing charms while Harry practiced the same on his own.

Soon enough Dumbledore arrived and the two students bid Tonks goodbye and thanks. Harry worked on organizing the events of the day so far, and of yesterday into two easy categories, good and bad. Dumbledore worked with him on this task instructing Hermione to find thoughtlessness on her own for the day. By the end of the lesson Harry had completed his task, which he mentioned to Dumbledore he found rather mundane.

"Mundane though it may be Harry, it is necessary. One must learn to crawl before one can walk, correct?" Harry nodded. "Then so must you learn to separate thoughts into two categories and 'file them away' in your mind before you can truly advance to the ability of separating thoughts into the hundreds of categories that will be needed to become a master in the art."

Dumbledore then approached and congratulated Hermione about reaching her goal alone. She tinged slightly at the praise and thanked the Headmaster for being a fabulous teacher. After Dumbledore had left, he was unable to stay for lunch, the two were asked by Remus what they had learned.

Hermione was quick in informing him and threw in no small amount of praise of Harry's ability to intercept and block hostile spells. Harry told Remus how brilliant Hermione was in turn in both Tonks' lesson and in occlumency. Remus grinned at the two's antics and informed them that in the light of such accomplishments he would cancel the workout session he had planned so that instead the two could spend a bit more time together before Hermione had to return home at six o' clock. He wasn't sure who looked the most relieved. The rest of the day was spent in the muggle room where a startling discovery was made.

As Harry entered the muggle room he headed straight for the piano in the corner. It hadn't been played as far as he knew in the week that Hermione had been there and he felt bad about not showing Hermione it earlier, even though she hadn't asked. He sat down and picked out the notes that were now memorized, though that didn't prevent him from making a few mistakes.

"Ode to Joy," Hermione said and Harry nodded his head.

"Remus says my mother was an excellent pianist. I wish I knew how to play. Remus taught me that one, but it's the only one he knew."

"You should have said something Harry," Hermione said as she sat next to him on the piano bench, placed her hands up at the keys and began to play, and such playing! First only the left hand played, the bass notes of a stretched d chord rang out, melodiously. And then the right hand joined in. The combination was beautiful. About a minute into the song Harry noticed that it suddenly became much more complicated and yet still maintained the same tone. Had he known about music, Harry would have known that the song had dropped into the minor key. That, coupled with many more chords instead of single notes, led to the song sounding much more soothing and rich than it originally had.

"Where – where did you learn to play like that?" Harry asked, stunned.

"I started lessons at five years old, and took them until I went to Hogwarts. Also, every summer but last I took lessons in the summer. Last year, a couple times I snuck down the Room of Requirement and it provided one for me to play. Music is a wonderful release for me." She blushed. "I'm not all that good."

"Rubbish, you're fantastic!" Harry exclaimed. "What was that piece anyway?"

"Think of Me, from the opera Phantom of the Opera. The music was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, he's amazing, like a modern Beethoven."

Harry could only shake his head in wonder. "Can you play anything else?"

Hermione nodded in the affirmative and immediately launched into a slow and yet beautiful song. It lasted many long minutes and Harry found himself swaying to the rhythm of the song as Hermione played. It was, if possible, even more beautiful than Think of Me.

"And what was that one?" Harry asked, enthralled by the music.

"Pachabell's Canon in D Major," Hermione responded quietly. "It's my favorite piece."

"Hermione?" Harry ventured, "Do you think that you could teach me to play a little? We have time in the evenings. I'd really like to learn."

"Of course Harry," she smiled, "I'd love to teach you."

And so she did. For the next few hours Hermione both lectured on the keys and what they were called, and showed Harry how to play simple theory exercises. It took Harry quite a few tries, but he finally got the fingering right on both the C and the F major scales. The notes rang out true albeit off any sort of rhythm.

After Harry successfully completed that task Hermione sat down at the piano and picked out the notes to a muggle child's tune and drew up the tablature. She then proceeded in teaching Harry how to read sheet music. Harry found this rather easy and Hermione told him that it was because she had yet to have him combine his left and right hands for a piece. Music became much harder as it was written in more difficult keys, at faster tempos, and with more chords. Harry was forced to agree when she played a snippet of Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag.

The impromptu piano lesson continued for the next few hours and come four o' clock Dumbledore knocked to announce his presence at the entrance to the muggle room. Hermione nodded her head to him in acknowledgement of why he was there and the two teens bid goodbye for the weekend. With promises of "I'll see you on Monday," Hermione was whisked away by the Headmaster and Harry was left with Remus, who had joined the two in the muggle room.

"Remus, what is planned for this weekend?" Harry asked, as he finished playing Ode to Joy for about the hundredth time that day.

"Well, we have an Order meeting tonight." When Harry raised an eyebrow he expanded, "Dolohov and Rookwood are to be executed tomorrow and we will be discussing security for both those executions and the Prison of Azkaban. We believe that Voldemort may take advantage of the opportunity to free followers, and we want to prevent that at all costs."

Harry frowned, "How come I wasn't told that the executions were going to be so soon?"

"I'm sorry Harry, we didn't think you needed to be troubled by it. After all, it is a dirty business if it was at all possible we would have liked to avoid it, but some things are necessary. Besides, it's not all that important."

"I beg to differ Remus, Voldemort will not be happy about the execution of two of his loyal Death Eaters. I will no doubt feel his anger that day," Harry said pointing to his scar. "If you would inform Dumbledore that I would like to be kept in the loop about any Voldemort related activities it would be appreciated."

Here Remus frowned. "Harry, I'm sorry, I should have realized that it did affect you. But to know all Voldemort related activities? I don't think that Albus can agree to that."

"And I think that he will consider it," Harry responded evenly. "Just ask him for me at the meeting tonight. I never really get to see you all when you are here, I just see you walking into the dining room."

Remus nodded. "Alright, I'll ask, but I still think you have very little hope of it happening."

"That's all I ask Remus. Thank you."

.:oOoOoOo:.

A few hours later found Remus playing host to a number of the Order that had turned up early. Remus took the chance to meet some of the newer members and welcome them to the house. Many of the members were interested in the history of the house and in how the Order had acquired permission for its use. Remus explained that Harry had given his permission but out of respect for his privacy did not give away that he was living there, or that he was even present.

Dobby popped next to Remus with a tray full of Champaign and offered the drinks to Remus and Tonks, who was currently entertaining Remus' attention. Another House Elf popped in right after the excitable Dobby and offered up some appetizers, which the two wizards politely refused.

"What House Elf was that?" Tonks asked Remus quietly.

"One named Winky," Remus answered her, "Dumbledore had her come to assist for the night. Don't worry though, she is bound to him now and cannot betray us."

Tonks nodded and asked where Harry was.

"I don't know, probably in the muggle room," came the reply.

.:oOoOoOo:.

Harry was not, however, in the muggle room. Instead he sat upon the balcony of the house overlooking the City of London. Three story townhouses surrounded his own and in the distance a gap in structures signaled where the Thames lay. Tower Bridge could be seen spanning the river's breadth less than a mile away providing constant pedestrian access across.

Harry though, was not paying attention to any of that. His concentration was held solely by the handles in front of him; on which he was exerting so much effort. Harry struggled to push the forty-five kilogram weight forward away from his body for the ninth push of a set of ten. His breath was expelled from his body as he completed the strenuous task and for a brief moment he held the weight out and breathed in before letting the handles come back. The final push was always hardest, but this one was impossible. The recently increased weight, from forty kilograms, was too much and Harry found he was unable to complete the set.

Cursing his weakness Harry lied back against the cushion behind him and took many deep breaths in an attempt to slow his racing heart. Succeeding somewhat, and knowing that it would be some time before he could do anything more with his arms Harry moved to a leg press machine, racked up eighty kilograms, and started the first ten-push set of three.

Ever since Remus had demonstrated the weight machines to Harry the boy had found that working with those machines was a good way to release stress and tension and had been doing so at least once a day. He had tried to get Hermione to join him, but the brown-haired witch had declined the invitations saying that she disliked the physical work. She did join him upon the balcony though and while he worked they talked or she did some reading. Both were perfectly content to just be in the other's presence.

Soon enough the Boy-Who-Lived finished his three sets of leg presses and determined that he was ready to return to the bench press machine. Setting the weight back down to forty kilograms he started up his sets again.

.:oOoOoOo:.

Three floors below him Dumbledore entered the house and after greeting a few and thanking a few others for coming he met with Remus.

"Albus," the werewolf began, "I promised Harry that I would talk to you for him tonight. Earlier today I told him that we were having an Order meeting and about the executions planned for tomorrow. He was rather – disappointed – that we had neglected to tell him of these." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows above his spectacles. "He made a good point that he had a right to know about them due to his rather, unique, connection with Voldemort. Undoubtedly, he said, he would feel Voldemort's anger tomorrow." A nod from Dumbledore signaled Remus to continue. "Well, he asked me to ask you to keep him informed on things Voldemort and Death Eater related. I told him that I doubted that you would agree, but he was rather adamant that I try, and so I am," Remus finished lamely.

Dumbledore seemed to consider what Remus had said for a few moments before he nodded his head. "Remus, if you would bring Harry downstairs please, I would like to talk to him for a minute. He is right of course, and the two of us will work out an acceptable way for Harry to get his information."

Remus was a little thrown off by the reply. Dumbledore had, quite quickly, decided to share what was no doubt classified information with the teen. Remus of course was happy that Harry was being brought into the information loop, but was confused as to why. That is, until it hit him, the prophecy.

Five minutes later Remus discovered Harry on the leg press machine once again, his arms had very nearly died out on him in the previous sets, and informed him of Dumbledore's decision. It was a smiling Harry Potter that he led back to the entrance hall of Potter Mansion. A quick talk with Dumbledore and Harry was informed that he would be able to sit in on the Order meeting as it all involved him in one way or another tonight. Harry, though a bit nervous that he was involved in the whole Order meeting, was excited almost to the point of random movements to expend energy, but managed to hold himself together while Dumbledore announced that the meeting was to begin. Harry let himself be led in by the man in charge and took the seat immediately to his right. Only a couple of the Order members realized that he was present as they filed in, most still amicably talking amongst each other.

Dumbledore spoke up once everyone had taken a seat. "If I could have everybody's attention?" he began and all extra conversations ceased immediately. "Thank you, as you can see Harry Potter will be sitting in on tonight's meeting." The talking started just as quickly as it had stopped. Molly Weasley was yelling angrily at Dumbledore, Harry couldn't hear what she was saying, and Snape looked absolutely disgusted. A few others Harry did not recognize were speaking amongst themselves and Harry was sure that his scar was the center of the conversation.

"Please everybody, quiet down," Dumbledore said and the talking stopped, though somewhat less instantly than it had the first time. "As I said Harry Potter will be joining us tonight as all topics planned on do in some way relate to him. That said I would like to welcome you all to Potter Mansion, our new headquarters, and thank you all for coming tonight." There was some scattered applause as Dumbledore started again.

"The first topic tonight is the security for tomorrow. I'm sure that you all know by now that Antonin Dolohov and Augustus Rookwood are to be executed tomorrow after being declared 'incurable.'" There were some heads that nodded in recognition of this. "The ministry has, unwisely in my opinion, decided to station four auror squads at the Ministry of Magic for the duration of the executions. In order to accomplish this they will be forced to remove one squad from Azkaban Prison guard detail. I will, because of this, have the entire Order on call in the event that Voldemort decides to take advantage of this lesser security." There were some murmurs from around the table agreeing with Dumbledore's decision. "Nymphadora Tonks will be giving us a report on the layout of Azkaban Prison in a few moments." The upbeat metamorphmagus in question nodded.

"The second item on the agenda will be the clearing of Sirius Black's name. This is not only of importance so that he will be properly remembered, but I have decided that it is too dangerous for the public to not know that Peter Pettigrew is still alive and that he is a rat Animagus." Dumbledore had obviously given this information before, as nobody looked surprised. "Kingsley Shaklebolt will provide us with some evidence that he has accumulated as head of the search for Sirius, and Monique Montague will be organizing our appeal."

A woman, French by her last name, with short brown hair, dark brown eyes, and bright red lipstick gave a professional smile to the old wizard and those around her as Dumbledore said her name.

"The third, and perhaps most important topic of the night is one that nobody but myself and Harry here have discussed." The table leaned forward in anticipation of the announcement. "I have been in constant correspondence with both Princes, William and Henry, and their mother Diana, since the events of the 28th of May last year. This correspondence has focused on security for the wizarding world at war and the responses that should be taken to combat both Lord Voldemort's recruiting tactics and attacks. Unfortunately, many of the ideas that have come forth from this correspondence have fallen upon deaf ears at the Ministry. Cornelius believes that he has everything under control, and above all else, refuses to look weak. His stubbornness and refusal to appear not in control has resulted in his not informing the public of nearly half of all Death Eater attacks." Whispering broke out around the square table and Dumbledore held up his hand for silence.

"I have, of course, brought this to the attention of the Princes and it is their belief, as it is mine, that Cornelius is not acting in a responsible way as Minister of Magic. Soon, at a date not yet decided upon, they, with the support of both Harry and myself, will call for a vote of no-confidence in Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic." Dumbledore's hand, which was still held up, did not stop the outcry that followed this statement.

After a few minutes of heated conversation, of which Harry could actually hear little, Arthur Weasley spoke up. "Albus, though I agree that Minister Fudge is not helping the cause in any way I'm not sure that removing him is the best thing to do. I must remind you who is next in line to assume the position, one Dolores Umbridge." At this Harry was just about to tell Dumbledore that he could forget his support in dumping Fudge but Dumbledore spoke again.

"That very thing Arthur, will lead us into the final subject of the night, in which I will be open to suggestions on how to avoid the appointment of Dolores to Minister of Magic. So, let us begin, Nymphadora, what is it you have for us in relation to the schematics of Azkaban?"

And so the meeting truly began and Harry started to put together all the reasons he could think of that Dolores Umbridge should _not_ be Minister of Magic. That woman would be in Azkaban once his tale was out, he was sure of it. He only had to first convince the Order, and so, two hours later when the final topic came up for discussion Harry surprised everybody by speaking first.

"Professor Dumbledore, members of the Order, I have to first say I will officially withdraw my support of throwing Fudge out if I can not be guaranteed that Dolores Umbridge will not be Minister of Magic." Snape bellowed out an insult and Harry continued as though he had not heard his Potions Professor. "That said, I believe that I alone have enough reasons to warrant her a few decades in Azkaban." The hubbub that followed this announcement was comparable to that when Dumbledore announced the vote of no confidence and Harry smiled, waiting for those present to calm down. Finally, Dumbledore spoke for all of them and bade Harry to begin his accusations.

"I must not tell lies," Harry started to the confusion of those present and then he raised his hand. "That is what _Professor_ Umbridge had me write hundreds, if not thousands of times. I had told my friends for weeks that my detentions consisted of only lines, which they did, in a way. However, those lines were written with a Blood Quill." Even Snape abruptly stood in his seat as the shock of those present resonated through the dining hall and upon demanding evidence Harry presented them with the back of his hand, the words still clearly visible.

"Outrageous!" one called out.

" – A sick woman, that one –"

Finally they calmed enough for Harry to continue speaking. "That is but the first thing. Now, I have no doubt that the following announcements will result in even more outcries from you so please try to hold questions until I am done, or we shall be here for a while." Dumbledore was proud of the way Harry took charge of the situation. "I believe I was not the only one to suffer the use of the Blood Quill. I spotted Lee Jordan holding his hand after a detention session with her so perhaps we could get a supporting testimony." Harry noticed as Monique Montague wrote this information down on a pad of paper.

"The night of the 28th Umbridge caught me in her office attempting to contact Sirius. In an effort to 'persuade' me into telling her who I was contacting she reasoned that she would have the authority to administer _crucio _upon me." Gasps and shouts of outrage met this announcement but Harry held his hand and reminded them to stay quiet for now. "She did not, thankfully, do so. However, she did admit to being the one that ordered the two dementors upon me last summer."

Even Dumbledore could not stay put at this announcement and he quickly stood out of his chair. Amongst the outcry that these statements had caused Dumbledore asked Harry if he could use legilimency to see these events. He needed to confirm what Harry had said. Harry granted him the permission and soon Dumbledore was shifting through his thoughts. Harry assisted in the task bringing them to the fore of his mind for easy access. Minutes later Dumbledore retreated from his student's mind slightly paler than when he had entered.

Members of the Order were still yelling trying to get answers from one another when Dumbledore brought attention to himself by use of a sonorous charm.

"Harry has just relayed to me knowledge of the events in question via legilimency, and I can assure you that he speaks only truth. Thank you Harry, accusations such as these cannot be overlooked and they will be brought to the attention of the Wizengamot. I believe that you were right in your assessment that Dolores Umbridge will be serving some time in Azkaban." Harry gave a small smile and Dumbledore continued.

"With Dolores taken care of we will have to back a candidate. I propose Amelia Bones. She is loyal to the cause and though not one of us, she commands enormous influence as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Some heated, though civil, discussion followed, some of it still about that monster Umbridge, but the general consensus was that Madam Bones was a fine choice. A few had called for Arthur Weasley but he claimed he did not want the responsibility, nor did he have the political experience, being from such a small department.

It took roughly ten more minutes for Dumbledore to wrap up the Order meeting and the members were dismissed. A few had thanked Harry for his testimony and others had just wanted to say 'hi.' Monique and a man that Harry did not know stayed behind with Dumbledore, who brought them to Harry.

"Harry, you know Monique from the meeting, and this is her husband Michel," Dumbledore introduced the two.

Harry shook hands with each before Monique took over the conversation. She asked him about the events with Umbridge and asked if he would be willing to donate some of the memories as trial evidence. At Harry's confused look it was explained that she was the Order's legal council and her husband was her assistant and in the Order military division. The conversation ended soon after when Harry agreed to anything to put Umbridge away, much to Monique's delight.

A scant thirty minutes later Harry fell asleep without making his customary trip to the potion's lab, he was absolutely exhausted, both mentally and physically, from the day's events.

.:oOoOoOo:.

The next day found Antonin Dolohov and Augustus Rookwood killed and Harry's scar burning. There were none of the major attacks that had been feared by Dumbledore, but Harry nonetheless was dissatisfied with the results. In an effort to burn off energy he went into the living room and started to practice every spell he knew. After running out of spells in his memory he retrieved every schoolbook he had and, starting with grade one, he went through them.

He was surprised to see how many spells he had forgotten about, not many of course were that useful, but they were there. Of course, he had near no difficulty performing those spells, as they were magically easy to accommodate the fact that they were being taught to young students. Harry continued in such a way through the rest of the day.

That night, the deaths of two auror families, the Waldens and the Buckleys, were reported. Voldemort, it seems, had taken an eye for an eye.

After receiving word of the deaths of the aurors and their families Harry decided that he needed to step up his training. Every death by the hand of Voldemort or the Death Eaters was personal now that Harry knew the contents of the prophecy. Each affected Harry and he knew that he would have to face Voldemort, sooner rather than later, in order to stop the violence. As it was, he had nearly ten free hours a day. Most of that time was wasted lounging around in either the muggle room or the living room and Harry promised himself that the only leisure time that he would have from then on would be to play the piano, play pool once in a while, or work out. Once Hermione returned he reasoned he could have some more free time to hang out with her, but he would still work much harder than he had been. So it was decided, and so Harry Potter began. By the end of the day he was halfway through all the spells through his third year, and by the end of the weekend he would be done with every spell he had learned in his Hogwarts career.

The next couple weeks passed in a flurry of activity and study. Harry, true to his self-promise, had cut down his leisure time to only about a forth of what it had been. Hermione had been more than willing to help Harry pick up his studying though she did not know the reasons. The two of them spent much of their time sorting the Black Family library, which was still in the extra guestrooms, onto shelves that Dobby had helped install by category.

Other time was spent going through Defense and Dueling texts searching for useful, and often dangerous, spells. When the two students could not perform a spell they would ask Remus for assistance in learning it. Sometimes even he could not work the magic, in which case Dumbledore would be approached on the following days. Recognizing this, Dumbledore ended his lessons a bit sooner so that they could do so without cutting into lunch or Madam Pomfrey's lessons.

It was during one such question sessions that extended into lunch that Dumbledore made a proposal to the two. Harry had shown some interest in continuing the DA, but that interest had dimmed a bit when Dumbledore had informed him that he had found a competent DADA teacher. After all, how many students would be willing to learn from him if they were learning just as well during class?

"Harry, I would like it if you and Hermione would lead the DA this year again. However, I would like it to be a class, to count as a DADA credit if the students so choose." He was met by gob smacked faces and smiled. "Though you have not seen your OWL results yet, I have it on good authority that they are coming along quite well. Very well, in fact, for everyone that participated in your illegal club last year. Also, I believe that in light of the events which happened last year that a name change is necessary." Harry grinned sheepishly and Hermione nodded.

"We had Defense Association as another name sir," she supplied.

"Very good. However, you DADA teacher will be covering most aspects of defense Ms. Granger. I would like if you two taught dueling. The Dueling Association perhaps?"

"Sir," Harry began slowly, "you want Hermione and me to teach others dueling? What about the seventh years? They probably won't like being taught by younger students, and –"

"Harry my boy, you taught them last year did you not?" Dumbledore cut in. "I believe that no one in the club last year will be adverse to you teaching it again." He paused. "Now, are there any other questions right now?"

"Yes sir," Hermione said, "just one. You said that this Dueling Association that we would be teaching would actually be for credit. In order for that to happen the class has to be taught by a member of staff. Who will be assisting us in this?"

"A very wise question Ms. Granger, and there is a simple answer. During your classes, Harry and yourself will have the status of school professors. Outside of class you will each have authority equivalent to that of Head Boy and Girl." Dumbledore couldn't help but chuckle at the jaw-dropped expressions that each was wearing as he continued. "Harry, you will not be required to attend the prefect meetings as you are not a prefect, though if you should want to I will inform Katie Bell and Martin McGreggor of your unique status. Ms. Granger, as a prefect, you will still be required to attend those meetings.

"As a status equal of the Head Boy and Girl each of you shall have the powers to add or remove up to thirty points per 'transaction.' You should know that all added points shall be subject to review by your Head of House, and should you change the balance of points by more than one hundred in a single day those actions shall be reviewed by myself. You are also entitled to hand out detentions to students that will be served with the student's Head of House. Said Head of House will review the detention and have the power to reduce the number of detentions but if they remove the detention in its entirety I shall review the situation."

The two jaws in front of the Headmaster had dropped even lower, though Harry's more than Hermione's. Dumbledore continued with that ever-present twinkle brighter than ever.

"As members of staff, part time, you will be able to assign detentions without the student's Head of House intervening. You may add or remove points at your own discretion, though I should warn you that if there were student complaints I would be forced to review your actions. As members of staff you are permitted entrance to the staff room located on the sixth floor behind the portrait of Edgar the Evangelizer. The password for the start of the school year is 'Merlin Saves.'

"Also, as staff members you are entitled to an office. Should you feel it necessary you may each have one, but for now I thought it best to keep only a single office for the two of you. I assure you that it is plenty large enough for the two of you."

The two students nodded, not trusting their speaking ability at that moment.

"Very good, your office will be located on the sixth floor behind Sir Malak the Moody. The password is 'superfluous,' though I must warn you that he may not let you in until you listen to him for a bit. And finally, you shall each not only have access to the Restricted Section in the School Library, but also the Teacher's Library. The door to which is in the back of the Restricted Section in the direction opposite that of the staircase. Are there any questions?"

There may have been had either Harry or Hermione been able to think of one, much less voice it. Dumbledore, taking advantage of the fact that he had just rendered his pupils speechless thanked them for their time and retreated from the dining hall.

"Harry?" Hermione managed to form a few minutes later. "Did he just – did?"

Harry only nodded.

"Oh Merlin..."

Harry nodded again.

.:oOoOoOo:.

The last Monday of the month approached and Harry and Hermione were at their training again. It had been three weeks since the trials and though it was such a small amount of time, Harry felt that he had already learned more that summer than he had all of last year. Not only had the constant hands-on training been beneficial to Harry from a knowledge standpoint, but it had also done wonders for his spell effectiveness and his confidence.

Both Harry and Hermione were currently proceeding with various spells of large area of effects. These spells were very dangerous due to the fact that they were extremely difficult to dodge and almost always needed to be blocked. Tonks had only recently decided that the two had come far enough in their shield work to be able to tackle these new magics.

Currently, Tonks was demonstrating a spell that fired a veritable storm of icicles at an enemy. These physical objects could often smash through the strongest of magical shields and the best way of defeating them was to create a counter physical object, be that fire to melt the deadly spears of ice, or a wall to absorb the hits. Both students quickly mastered the spell, a mix of charmwork and transfiguration, and each was already capable of countering it. The rest of that lesson was spent dueling, in which icicles were the most commonly used spell. There were only two minor injuries during the training, both suffered by Tonks when a bludgeoning spell hit Harry's arm as he spelled into existence the icicles, aiming the attack right at her.

"Great Merlin!" Tonks had cried as she dropped to the floor. Harry and Hermione instantly stopped their duel and cleaned and healed the wounds quickly.

"You are both coming along well in medimagic," she commented looking at her skin where moments before there had been a gash.

"That was nothing," Harry assured her. "We were able to heal wounds that minor within the first week. Recently we've been working the theory on broken bones. We don't actually have anything to test on, and neither one of us is willing to be the test dummy."

"Well, probably a good call there you two. If you break something enough times even magic stops working to heal it."

Hermione nodded. "Plus it's supposed to be pretty painful."

The occlumency lesson with Dumbledore went just as well and Dumbledore complimented both Harry and Hermione on the organization that each had imposed upon their minds. They spoke for a little about the categories each had, Harry had twenty-seven now and Hermione had just two less, and how occlumency helped to improve their memory. Each could recall facts more quickly than they had previously been able to and it showed in their abilities to work new spells within a few tries.

Dumbledore asked each how the nightly legilimency sessions were working out and each responded that they had very little success at breaking the others defenses. If anything, each would be at most able to only access surface level thoughts or menial daily events.

"Have you tried projecting thoughts to the legilimens?" Dumbledore asked the two who responded that they had, but not much.

"That is another common occlumency defense. The occlumens can either 'feed' the legilimens meaningless memories or an accomplished occlumens can 'feed' a legilimens a fake memory." Harry shuddered remembering how he had fallen for Voldemort's trick and the result that had ensued. "I want you to try it. Harry, if you would."

Instantly Harry felt the probe that was Dumbledore in his mind, shifting through memories, both happy and sad. Futilely Harry tried to focus on a single memory but Dumbledore brushed past it and continued deeper. Memories of the Dursley's and the treatment he suffered at their hands surfaced as Dumbledore dove deeper into Harry's mind. Frantically Harry tried to stop him from reaching what he now knew to be the destination, his memories of the past summer. All too soon memories of his potion and drug consumption floated to the surface along with the memories of his continued cheering potion abuse. Then, just as quickly as it started, it was over. Harry was left panting hard and staring up at Dumbledore in shame.

"Still buried at the bottom Harry? When will you accept the help that others are offering?"

Hermione watched the entire exchange in confusion. Dumbledore had just invaded Harry's privacy to a degree that she had never seen before. It was obvious, only terrible events could bring out shame so apparent in Harry's eyes.

"What did you do to him?" she asked harshly of Dumbledore.

"I am trying to open his eyes, and his heart," the old wizard replied cryptically before bidding both good day and leaving quickly.

"Harry, what is it?" Hermione asked of the raven-haired boy that had hoisted himself up onto the couch and was slouched down in it, pain evident in his eyes. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she inquired again trying to move to a position where she could look him in the eyes.

He avoided her gaze. "Yes," he whispered. "There is. You can watch, and try to understand."

"How?"

"Use legilimency," he whispered again.

"Are you sure Harry?"

"Just do it, quickly," he implored unsure that he would be able to show her if she dallied.

"_Legilimens._"

_The park was beautiful, even as dark as it was. Giant elm trees reached out of the ground towards the heavens, their branches extending out, intermingling with those of the next tree. There were several clearings in one of which a giant sandbox was filled with typical playground equipment. The big toy sported several slides and two stories, complete with rope ladders, fire poles, and a swing set. Two of the three swings were broken, victims of vandalism. On the third sat a boy._

_He was not unusual in many ways. Though lanky, he was of average height, around five foot eight inches, and he had black hair that hung messily over his face. Light from the moon above glinted off his face, revealing glasses and the eyes that they corrected. Those eyes were dimmed from their former emerald green to the color of the leaves above, and radiated a feeling of loss._

_Nearby, the local gang of boys had entered the park and approached where Harry Potter was slowly rocking, propelled by his legs. A couple started to hurl insults when they noticed him, but they elicited no response. When one suggested that they ruff him up a bit he was given a stare, and the words died on his lips. For even he could see the pain in those eyes and could not wish more upon the boy._

_Slowly Harry Potter rose from the swing and walked away, followed by the gazes of the gang. He walked until he returned to 4 Privet Drive, his place of residence for sixteen long years. He proceeded up the stairs to the smallest bedroom in the house, his bedroom and opened the doors. Collapsing on the bed he picked up a book and opened it to page 321, potion number four-hundred and continued through the book. Thirty-three pages were read before the boy finally stopped. In front of him was the recipe for potion #437, the cheering potion._

_With determination in his eyes he rose from the bed and began preparing the ingredients and mixing the potion. Within an hour there was a half-cauldron bubbling in front of the boy who filled it into vials. With resolution he drained one, then another, and another. Harry Potter collapsed after the fifth and for the first time since returning a smile played out upon his lips, and though induced unnaturally it was fulfilling. The stage for the addiction had been set._

_Suddenly the scene flashed and Harry was standing in the hallway leading to his room. The front door had just been shut and he was now making his way to his cousin's room. Quickly he opened up Dudley's dresser drawer and withdrew a small box. Quickly he removed the bag of green substance and returned the box to the drawer and carried himself from the room as quickly as he could remain quiet._

_The scene flashed again and Harry had just woke, and if the moaning and grabbing of the head were of any indication, he had a severe headache. Quickly he reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a wrapped piece of paper, raising it to his mouth, his hand fumbled around on the table again for the lighter. As his fingers clenched around it he rose it to the joint positioned in his mouth and lit it. There were a few deep inhales and slowly the pain began to subside, though Harry could still not open his eyes for the pain of the sunlight. When he finally could his view was slightly skewed, distances were hard to judge, and sounds were altered. He was high._

_The scene flashed once again. Harry traversed the halls of Potter Mansion and crept up the stairs to the potions laboratory where he prepared and drank more cheering potion. Several similar scene flashes occurred, each more vivid than the last._

Hermione pulled out of Harry's mind, she had seen enough. It was disturbing to know that her best friend had done the things that Harry had, but she would not hold it against him. He was asking for help in beating it, and she would be there to give it.

"Oh Harry," she cried and hugged him, tears streaming down her face. "You didn't have to go through it all alone. You shouldn't have."

Harry too had tears in his eyes, the emotional strain of releasing all that he had kept under lock and key for so long was immense. He had expected anger, possibly rejection, but not this affection that Hermione was heaping upon him.

"I'm so sorry Hermione, I shouldn't have done those things, but it hurt so much and –"

Hermione cut him off. "Don't be sorry Harry. You have faced more in a few short years than most face in a lifetime. The strain of everything becomes too much for anyone; even you cannot hold it all in forever."

"You must think me a monster," he whispered as a tear dropped.

"No Harry. V-Voldemort is a monster; you are human. It is your ability to feel that separates the men from monsters. You, Harry Potter, have the biggest heart I've ever seen, and you've had it broken with self-guilt too many times. You are no monster Harry, you just need to let others in to help you. I just want to help you."

A sniff escaped from Harry as he stared into Hermione's teary eyes. On impulse he returned her embrace full force. "I promise I'll never keep you out again 'mione," he said sincerely.

"You'd better not Harry," she said as she rested her head against his shoulder, forehead against his neck. "You'd better not."

The two stayed like that for an hour before Remus came in and announced to them that lunch had been waiting for some time. He apologized hastily when he realized he had interrupted them but Hermione waved it off and thanked him for reminding them of their meal.

It was quite obvious that something had just happened to Remus, but he was not about to ask. Whatever it was, it had brought Hermione closer to Harry than ever before. He would try his best to make sure that they got as much time alone as they needed, as Harry needed.

Remus was not ignorant of his best friend's son's upbringing. He was raised in a house where he was shown little, if any, love or caring. Always he had seen others receiving both and he grew up ignorant of what it was he craved. Remus could not give him that kind of love; he was not close enough to Harry. With the death of Sirius there were precious few people that could anymore, and Hermione was one of them.

**(A/N: **And so Hermione is told. Her reaction not what Harry expected he is wondering why he didn't open up sooner. Of course if he had, he wouldn't be Harry. It took Dumbledore to bring out the truth. Anyway, I sped time along a bit because I felt that endless descriptions of training were not only boring, but soporific. Next chapter will cover about a month, and then the chapter after that will find everyone at Hogwarts once again. So what does everyone think of the new status that Hermione and Harry will enjoy? I felt that it was a nice compromise between making Harry a teacher, and making him teach a club that otherwise he gets no benefit from, well, other than helping people. As to the next chapter? It should be... interesting. Hope you enjoy.


	7. Owls and Surprises

**Disclaimer! I do not own Harry Potter, though if J.K. Rowling and the numerous publishers that do would like to give me the rights to this wonderful story they are more than welcome to do so. In fact, I'll make an offer of everything I own.**

**Chapter 7 – Owls and Surprises**

The next morning Harry awoke feeling groggy. Hermione and he had spoke late into the night after they finished their studies for the day on the subject of Harry's activities. She had made it perfectly clear to him that while she did not approve, she did not fault him. She helped Harry get everything off of his chest and even explained what she had felt during that time, and for that, Harry was thankful.

As Harry reached the dining hall he was only slightly surprised to see Hermione already up and chatting with Remus. Both greeted him as he walked through the double doors and was presented with his breakfast, strawberry pancakes, by Dobby. He thanked the House Elf and sat down at the table to begin eating.

"Harry," Hermione began, "Remus tells me that we won't be having lessons today." Harry raised an eyebrow begging the question why. "Dumbledore has an important Wizengamot meeting that he cannot possibly miss and Madam Pomfrey was called to serve a day at St. Mungo's; all certified mediwitches are required to serve a few days at least a year. Remus cancelled due to the other's doing so. Basically we have a free day," she said happily.

"Alright," Harry said, not extremely happy that the lessons had been cancelled, "what would you like to work on?"

Hermione put her hands on her hips and gave him a stare. "Harry Potter, I don't think you fully understand the meaning of a 'free day.' We are going to do anything but work today, and no buts," she added when Harry looked as if he was going to protest.

Resigned, Harry nodded his head. "So what's the plan?"

Remus jumped in, "Well, I thought I'd let you guys go out for a while, and then we were going to head over to the Weasley's to see everybody. You must want to see Ron?" he asked Harry, who agreed.

"I need to pick up a few things Harry," Hermione said, "so you can accompany me. But first, you need to dress in something a bit more fit for the muggle world, those clothes you wear for training are just not going to cut it."

With that Hermione led him back upstairs and into his room to help him pick out an outfit. She eventually decided upon a pair of dark jeans and a green Merc tee and Harry, like every other man in the world, found that one does not argue with a woman once she has decided what you are going to wear. So it was that Harry followed Hermione back downstairs ten minutes later and out the door, Remus bidding the two goodbyes.

Hermione led Harry out of the small residential district and onto Charring Cross Road southbound. The sidewalks were not that crowded, it was 10:00 AM and most people were already at work for the day. As they made their way down the road Hermione started up a conversation centered around the color changing charm. She had acquired a number of books on muggle physics with relation to electromagnetic radiation and after understanding it all herself, she helped Harry to do the same.

Harry's brain was currently spinning, as it always did when this topic was broached, but he wasn't useless anymore. He could at least hold his own in the conversation, though he hardly said anything to advance it. In this state he barely registered the large plaza the two had just entered.

Trafalgar Square is really more of a triangle, as three major roads all pass within a football field of one another. At its center stands a 185-foot tower, topped by a seventeen-foot statue of Admiral Lord Nelson, the British naval commander responsible for the defeat of a combined French and Spanish fleet at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, securing Britain's dominance of the sea during Napoleon's rise to power. The stone monolith dominated the square, its shadow falling over the uncaring vehicles that made their daily commutes through the heart of London.

Harry, though awed by the tower and the architecture of the National Portrait Gallery beyond, soon forgot the beauty of the square in much the same way as those drivers who passed under the shadow of the pillar, just as many fail to see the beauty in that which is native. Hermione, for her part, did not even stop talking to take a good look at the tower, she had seen it many times before.

The two continued south down Whitehall Road past many government offices, Hermione succeeding in talking the entire way, before taking a left and heading across Westminster Bridge. In front and slightly to the left of the two stood a gigantic wheel.

"Hermione," Harry said interrupting his friend who was in the middle of explaining exactly how photons of light were realized by the process of electrons jumping and then dropping quantum levels. "What is that thing?" he asked, pointing towards the structure.

Though looking a bit put off for being interrupted Hermione supplied him with his answer, a smile playing on her lips. "That is the London Eye, and our destination."

A very intelligent 'huh?' escaped Harry, and Hermione elaborated.

"That is what muggles call a Ferris Wheel. It was invented by a bridge builder named George Ferris for the 1891 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois in America. It was built to rival the Eiffel tower, but -" here she droned off as she noticed that Harry was screwing up his face at all the information. Huffing she simplified, "Basically you get in the carts on it and it takes you around so you get to see the city from up high."

"There 'mione. Now was that so hard?" Harry teased her. He got a playful smack in return.

Soon enough the two were seated in a giant car. To Hermione's surprise there had been nobody else present at the time of loading and the two got the entirety of the forty-five minute ride with just each other. As they waited to be raised Harry managed to get Hermione to speak of something other than electromagnetic radiation when he mentioned the DA.

The two of them had been frantically planning, on top of everything else, what they would be teaching the DA next year. As Dumbledore suggested they were going to keep in mostly offensive, trusting that whoever was teaching DADA would be able to keep up with whatever pace they set. The books taken from Sirius' library were of great use in this task. Though questionable in origin, there was no doubt that those books contained effective spells used to incapacitate an opponent. Many of those spells would never be taught by Hermione and Harry as they were far too brutal for what the two considered 'acceptable' for school lessons, but Harry and Hermione often found themselves attempting and succeeding in working such spells.

It was roughly ten minutes before the two actually began to see any more than they had been able to from ground level, Hermione pointing out Trafalgar Square across the street as if they had not just walked through it. As they rose, Harry got his first bird's eye view of London.

A couple of kilometers to the west lay one of the most recognizable landmarks in London, Tower Bridge. Built in the 1890's its drawbridge took a mere ninety seconds to rise and provided constant pedestrian access across via its raised pedestrian platform. Below it, though the two could only just barely glimpse the top, lay the Tower of London, wherein the Crown Jewels were held until needed for ceremonies of state. Slightly closer to the two lay Tate Modern, a renowned modern art museum housed inside an old factory building, just beyond which, Harry was assured, lay Globe theatre, which had housed Shakespeare's plays long ago.

The most interesting buildings though appeared to the south and west. There, just across the river lay the Houses of Parliament. The original houses were nearly destroyed by fire in 1834 and the now present Gothic architecture was added in the 1840s. On the north side of the building laid perhaps the most recognized clock in the world, Big Ben. It is said that a London taxicab can make a full circle within the confines of the interior of that clock tower. The 316-foot monstrosity of a clock tower had stood proudly through World War II bombings, and continued to do so to that day, chiming out the hour to all who cared to listen.

Just past Big Ben lay Westminster Abbey, the official place of coronation for any who would ascend to the throne of Britain since the year 1066. Also a place of worship, Westminster had services daily for any who practice the faith. Finally, Westminster was the final resting place for thousands of kings, knights, and other notables. There, tribute is paid to royalty and scientist alike, and there lay the tomb of the unknown warrior, a tomb for all the nameless lost in the battles for Britain.

Further out to the west Hermione pointed out Buckingham Palace, the city house of the Royal Family. Millions visited it each year to stare past the black and gold gates towards the palace, though they often found themselves distracted by the unmoving guards. Hermione and Harry shared a laugh as she recounted how one time she saw an men's glee club serenade a guard, whose stoic demeanor was cracking before he started twirling his gun, scaring the university students away.

All too quickly the ride was over and Hermione told Harry that the Weasley's were expecting them to be at the Burrow around 12:00. The two would have to travel by Knight Bus and so had to call for it when they completed the rotation and the ride. With a BANG the large triple-decker red bus appeared in front of the startled teens. Even Harry, who had ridden before, was surprised at how suddenly the bus would slam into view. The doors opened to a man who introduced himself as Butch and each paid their fare, ten sickles, before the driver was informed that their stop was Ottery St. Catchpole.

Both teens enjoyed a rather bumpy forty-minute ride as the bus sped around the country dropping off and picking up wizards and witches with seemingly no rhyme or reason. Needless to say, when their stop was called out both hurried off the bus, much to the amusement of Butch.

"If I never ride that thing again it will have been one time too many!" declared Hermione as she stepped off the bus. Harry, though not feeling extremely well either managed a smile.

"That's what I was thinking when I rode it before third year!" he laughed out.

With that the two set out towards the rather tall leaning structure ahead of them, the Burrow. As they approached Harry thought it odd that there was no noise coming from the usually festive house. It was also odd that there was no light coming from inside, in fact, Harry couldn't see inside.

"Hermione?" Harry asked nodding towards the house, "You sure they are there?"

"I thought so Harry, but, well, lets check anyway."

The two approached the house and Harry found himself feeling something was not right. Nervously he fingered his wand before making the final few steps to the front door and with a somewhat hesitant hand, knocked. The sound of his knuckles rapping the wood seemed to echo in the small entryway.

Harry turned around, "They aren't here Hermione, something's wrong, lets just get back to Headquarters."

"Nonsense Harry, they said they'd be here. Lets just have a peak inside, and if they are not there we'll go home." Harry noted that her hand too was in her pocket where her wand lay.

With a small gulp Harry reached out towards the doorknob and turned it. As he pulled the door open a small creak nearly caused him to pull his wand out of his pocket.

"Hello!" he called nervously as he stepped into the house, Hermione at his heel. "Is anyone -"

He was nearly blinded as light flooded the room. "SURPRISE!" a hundred voices called out at once. For Harry, it was the great beginning of his first birthday party, for Tonks it was embarrassing. She had been victim to both the inverting charm and a bludgeoning curse Harry had managed to fire off even before the yell had finished.

Laughter was the only response to Harry's reaction, except from Tonks that is, but no one was as loud as Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, whose guffaw would be remembered by all those present well into the school year. "Constant Vigilance!" he had called out, "Very good boy. Tonks! Improvement is necessary!"

Harry was suddenly assaulted by well-wishers and barely had time to realize how many people had actually come. The DA was there, minus Luna Lovegood who was still hunting the Snorkaks, Cho Chang, who was apparently 'out of town,' and Marietta Edgecomb, who betrayed the group to Umbridge the year before. Joining the DA were many of the Order and some ministry aurors, apparently invited by Tonks, Harry saw the entire Weasley clan, minus Percy, Kingsley Shaklebolt, Elphius Doge, Hestia Jones, Dedalus Diggle, and Sturgis Podmore, who had been released from Azkaban earlier in the year. Mundungus Fletcher was absent, but Harry assumed that was because of the standing distrust and dislikes that Mrs. Weasley had of him.

"Harry mate!" came the call from Harry's left and the black-haired boy turned to meet his best friend.

"Ron!" he shouted above the noise in the hallway as he saw the redhead moving towards him. "How have you been?"

Ron, upon reaching Harry reached out his hand; Harry took it with a smile on his face. "I'm fine mate, and you?"

"The same, better in fact, now that I am not at the Dursley's."

Ron nodded sympathetically, "I'll never forget having to break you out of your own bedroom mate. How has it been at headquarters? Dad says the new place is much better, but I haven't seen it myself as of yet."

"It's been good, I've been learning a lot. There are a lot of books in the library there, and Remus has turned out to be almost as much of a bookworm as Hermione!" Ron laughed and both looked towards the bushy haired girl that had gone off to chat amicably with Susan Bones and Lisa Turnpin. Neither of the boys noticed the other.

"Hermione's been staying there a fair amount too Dad tells me," Ron prodded.

"Yeah," Harry conceded with a slight smile, "she's a taskmaster that one. I don't think I've gotten a moment's free time what with all the studying and practicing we've been doing together." Ron nodded and the two continued to make small talk about Ron's summer vacation. Others would come and go through the conversation, almost everybody stopping by to say 'hello,' and in some cases to introduce themselves.

The party continued in this way for an hour before Mrs. Weasley appeared from the kitchen, a large rolling cart hoisting a giant four-level cake, 'Happy Birthday Harry' written in green frosting adorned the top level. Sixteen candles stood proudly, sticking out of the chocolate covering. The partygoers 'oohed' and 'ahhed' as the cake was wheeled out into the room where Harry was. Upon seeing it Harry's face lit up in a smile and he impulsively gave his surrogate mother a hug that she returned. Looking at the cake he whispered a few words to Mrs. Weasley, who nodded, before returning to where Ron and Neville were standing.

"What did you say to her mate?" Ron asked.

"Watch," Harry said cryptically. Mrs. Weasley pulled her wand out of an apron pocket and with a silent incantation added two words and sixteen more candles. "Happy birthday to you as well Neville," Harry said to his housemate with a smile.

"How – how did you know?" Neville managed to stammer in surprise.

"I found out from Dumbledore," Harry responded waving his hand as if it wasn't important, "it came up in some random conversation. Besides, you think I could get around that monstrosity to blow out all the candles myself?" Ron laughed at that and Neville joined him, slapping Harry on the back while doing so.

The Boy-Who-Lived led Neville up to the cake where they waited as Mrs. Weasley lit the candles and started the singing. Harry had never been on the receiving end of a birthday song before, and reflected on how much different it was when the song was being sung for you rather than another. After the song finished Harry and Neville both extinguished the flames dancing atop the melting wax and wicker with short blasts of breath. When they had finished, everyone clapped and screamed wildly.

Harry and Neville, as was custom, got the first two pieces of the cake and chose a spot to sit as the other's filed up to get their own slice. Both boys got their fair share of congratulations after that and the minutes slipped away as everybody indulged in the double chocolate delicacy that Mrs. Weasley had created. Soon enough, however, Harry was herded towards the veritable mountain of presents that had been deposited to the right of the entryway and the onlookers each demanded that he open theirs first.

With a smile of excitement Harry picked up the first and read who it was from, Lisa Turnpin, before ripping open the wrapping paper to discover a book, _Defense – An Objective Approach_. He thanked her warmly for the gift and gently set it off to the side as he reached for the next. Not surprisingly most of the gifts he received were either of books or candy. Apparently many of the DA had coordinated as to not get him the same books, Harry guessed that he being Voldemort's #1 target probably influenced their gift choices. Each of his closer friends however had gotten him something unique.

From Ron Harry received a golden snitch. Harry gave a giant shout out to his best friend who returned a smile to Harry. The snitch, he explained later, would not float too far from Harry when he had it out, it was not a game snitch, but it was neat nonetheless. Ginny's gift had been opened after Ron's and though the size had indicated another book, Harry was surprised with a framed photograph of him teaching the DA the Patronus Charm. Harry's stag shot out of his wand and wandered through the crowd of students, each of who was gawking at the display of power.

From Fred and George he received a Deflagration Deluxe. The box held the same fireworks that had been let off at the school the previous year before Fred and George had gone out, literally, in a blaze of glory. There was also a note that explained that Fred and George, though not students anymore, would be there for Harry if he ever needed them. All he needed to do was either owl them or floo call to their Diagon Alley shop and they would come. That part of the gift meant much more to Harry than the fireworks had and he let the twins know it. Some of the fireworks were used as entertainment in the later hours that followed.

From Tonks, Harry received a book on spell creation; she knew that he and Hermione were hard pressed to figure out how to make spells with the limited number of books on the subject in Headquarters. Harry and Hermione thanked her for the thoughtful book, it was the first non-defense book he received, but was not to be the last. Madam Pomfrey, though she did not attend, gave him a book on medimagic theory and another on mid-level medimagic, nothing that he shouldn't be able to handle the note attached had said.

Dumbledore's gift of a pensieve was met with as many 'oohs' and 'ahhs' as the cake. The note attached explained the possible uses of the pensieve, and how to work the magic. From those close enough to talk to him without having to yell Harry found that pensieves were very expensive and hard to find. It could take years to make a very good one. Harry decided that he would have to thank Dumbledore privately later and ask why Dumbledore felt that he needed such a gift.

Remus gave two gifts, the first being a copy of 'Marauder's Journal of Mischief.' As Harry expected, once he had given the required password, the pages revealed pranks upon pranks that the Marauder's had played on the school. Its pages also held the secret to the animagus transformation, which Harry thought could be very useful indeed. Remus' second gift was to have been from Sirius as well. A set of black dueling robes was produced from a large package. The material was made from Hebridean Black dragon hide, though it had been worked to the point of feeling almost like a thick cloth. A long cloak stretched almost to the ground behind him and was open in the front, looking much like a muggle trench coat. A thin vest covered his chest and dragon hide gauntlets added protection to his forearms; built into each gauntlet was a wand holster. The pants fit loose, and yet tight enough that they would not become a hassle that he could trip over while moving quickly. The boots were especially comfortable, being surprisingly light and supple. Harry found that while walking in them the sound he made was reduced significantly. Discovering this, he looked up to Remus, who only nodded his head in confirmation. Harry gave the older man a one-armed hug before retreating to his other presents.

But the most thoughtful gift of the night came from Hermione, who he had come to know throughout the weeks, and who had come to know him better than anyone else. She knew all his secrets now, and he would have it no other way. As he opened his gift he was greeted with the sight of some beginner to intermediate piano books. Opening the first he caught a small note as it fell from inside the cover. It was his ticket to three muggle outings, the first had been that morning. Harry rose from where he was and walked over to Hermione before giving her a hug.

"I'll see you have a normal life yet, Harry Potter," she surprised him by whispering in his ear. He leaned back from her and gave her a smile and a soft 'thanks.'

After the opening of presents Harry stood around with Neville and Ginny talking about their summer so far. Ginny's was, unsurprisingly, much like Ron's. Neville's on the other hand, was so far pretty unique.

"After getting back from the train station, Gran had a lot to say to me," Neville started. "I thought that she was going to berate me for charging after Death Eaters and into the Department of Mysteries, but I was wrong. Actually she had nothing but praise for my actions, and you have to understand that Gran hardly ever has nothing but praise to give. She wasn't even too upset about pa's wand being broken in the fighting all things considered.

"So when the ministry made it so that those that had taken the OWLs could use magic during the summer she took me to Diagon Alley to get a new wand." Neville pulled it out of his pocket at this point. "Eleven and a half inches, oak, firm, and a core of a griffin feather. Ollivander says that it is a remarkably powerful wand. Gran was ecstatic about me getting a griffin feather as the core; she thinks it assures that I was to belong in Gryffindor, and not Hufflepuff. That's where she thought I was going to be placed."

Harry gave Neville a hardy slap on the back. "That's great news Neville, maybe you'll do a lot better in transfiguration now that you have a wand that is properly suited to you." Ginny nodded her head in agreement.

"Well anyway, I wanted to go talk with Dean and Seamus so I'll see you two later," Neville informed Harry and Ginny, leaving the two of them alone.

"So these, 'weight machines' you've been using this summer, they really show," Ginny said causing Harry to tinge.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Harry replied, somewhat embarrassed.

"Trust me," Ginny continued, this time drawing a hand down Harry's arm, "it does, and it looks really good. That must have been what that muggle girl - Jess was it?" Harry nodded, "- saw."

"Umm, actually I hadn't started the weight machines then," Harry replied.

"Hmm, do you still see her?" Ginny asked. Harry shook his head. "Pity," Ginny said, moving closer. Harry didn't think she meant it one bit.

"Harry chap!" Bill and Charlie Weasley rescued the Boy-Who-Lived from their sister. "We've heard quite a bit about you lately, fighting off Death Eaters by the dozen again are we?" Charlie smiled, so did Harry, but whether it was because of the comment, or their timely rescue Harry was unsure. Ginny for her part looked somewhat peeved.

"Yeah, well, you know me," Harry replied to Charlie's antics. The three boys shared a good laugh and Ginny excused herself from the group.

"Thought you could use a bit of help there chap," Bill said, a grin on his face.

"Thank you, both, for that. I thought she got over that crush on me?"

"Well, that is what she told everybody at least," Charlie answered, "but she still keeps several photographs of you in her room." Harry's eyes bulged slightly at this news.

"I thought she was going out with Dean Thomas," he told Ginny's brothers.

"Not that I'm aware of," Bill said, "but Charlie, maybe you and I have better have a talk with young Dean later tonight." Harry mentally apologized to Dean for causing him trouble and was glad that he was not on the receiving end of the talk that those two were likely to give."

"So," Harry said trying to turn the conversation, "you two sticking around here now that you are in the you –know-what?"

"Yeah," the two said in unison before Bill took over. "You know that I've been here since last year to help out, but this year I imagine I'll be doing some more serious work. Dumbledore's got Charlie and I here working double-time on auror curriculum." Charlie nodded. "In fact, I heard you are doing the same."

"Well," Harry started, "I don't know if you'd call what I'm doing auror curriculum, but I am getting a pretty good background in defense from Tonks and Dumbledore."

"Wow," Charlie interrupted, "the old man himself is teaching you eh?"

Harry nodded and specified, "Dueling."

Bill whistled. "You must be pretty good if Albus is teaching you himself."

Harry shrugged, "I'm alright I guess. I don't know for sure really. Hey, do either of you know when our OWL results are coming in? It's the end of July and they were supposed to be here by now."

"Oh sorry Harry, you didn't here? Because of the ministry recognizing You-Know-Who's return they had to pull all available personnel to manage the task of running the war against Him. They had to take some of the OWL graders and so the results are being sent out a bit later this year."

Harry nodded, he had figured as much. "So what are you two doing for the rest of the summer?"

Charlie took over, "Well, in a few days we are all moving to Headquarters, even Bill and I. Dumbledore thinks that we are too much of a high priority target for You-Know-Who's to be out and about without protection so often. We will of course go out on missions for the you-know-what. Dumbledore even hinted that the two of us may be able to train with you sometimes. I, for one, look forward to it."

Harry groaned, which left Bill and Charlie laughing.

"Don't worry," Bill said mischievously, "it won't be _too_ bad."

Even Harry laughed at that one. "So, will the twins be coming as well?" he asked.

Charlie nodded. "Yes, but they still have their business to take care of so they will be going to Diagon Alley every day. I'm really surprised that they have been doing so well. We never did figure out how they got enough money to buy that place in the Alley," he said more to Bill than Harry who was smiling like a wolf.

Unfortunately for Harry, Bill noticed. "Harry?" he questioned the boy in front of him.

"Let's just say that I wasn't in a mood to take prize money at the end of the Triwizard Tournament," he said before walking away leaving an astounded Bill and Charlie Weasley behind.

The party continued for the rest of the day and left Harry feeling as exhausted as if he had done a full day of training, but in a much different way. Currently he was sitting in the library with Hermione, who had her nose in Harry's brand new book on spell creation. Suddenly she slammed the book down on the table, startling Harry.

"Something wrong 'mione?" he asked, knowing full well there was something wrong.

She shook her head before placing her face down on the pages in front of her.

"Ok, well, you know I'm here if you want to talk about it," he offered somewhat lamely.

"It's Ron," Hermione voiced suddenly.

"Ron? What are you and he fighting about this time? Not spew is it?"

"S.P.E.W," Hermione reminded him before continuing. "No, he just – gah, he is such a git!"

Harry's eyes widened slightly, Hermione never used that kind of language, but he said nothing, just allowing Hermione to let it out.

"While you were talking with Ginny, Bill, and Charlie, he comes over to me and asks about 'Vicky.'" Harry groaned. "No, he and I didn't start arguing about that," Hermione said with a small laugh. "I told him that Victor and I had broken up, I just felt that I wouldn't be able to handle the long distance relationship.

"Then Ron goes off and starts to tell me how I made the right decision, and then, out of nowhere, he brings up the mountain troll incident." Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Why would he do that?"

"After asking me if I remember, he starts going on about how glad he is that we became friends. And then – then he told me that over the years he's started to develop feelings for me." Harry grimaced.

"I take it that this is not to your liking?" Hermione shook her head.

"No, I like Ron, I really do, just, not like that. Of course, when he told me I was too shocked to say anything and he took my silence the wrong way. He just assumed that I felt the same way and told me how glad he was that he got that off his chest and that I didn't reject him. And then, I didn't have the heart to tell him I wanted to."

Harry offered a supportive "ooh."

"Well," Hermione started up again, "at least I don't have to see him until the 1st of September. I can deal with it then."

"Umm, Hermione? Actually, the Weasley's are coming here to Headquarters in about a week; all of them. It was Hermione's turn to groan.

.:oOoOoOo:.

The rest of the week passed relatively quickly for both teenagers because between training and their independent research there was much to do. Friday rolled around and both students felt as if they hadn't learned enough, even if they had mastered another fifteen spells each. Hermione had made some progress on the color-changing charm, figuring out the most basic of the five arithmancy equations for both of their wands. She promised Harry that she would work on the next set of equations over the weekend, and Harry had faith that she would get those done as well, even if it stretched her limited knowledge of arithmancy.

Dumbledore arrived to take Hermione home and after she hugged Harry goodbye both flashed out of the Potter Residence via the floo. Five minutes later the floo flashed again, readmitting the old headmaster.

"Sir?" Harry questioned. After returning Hermione to her parents Dumbledore rarely returned to Headquarters.

"Ah, Harry, glad you are still down here. I wanted to talk to you."

Harry offered the older wizard a seat, which he graciously took. "Thank you Harry, these old bones of mine seem to creak even more every day," Dumbledore said with a chuckle. Harry joined him in that.

"Surely you are not that old yet professor. You seem to manage fine."

"Yes, I guess I do appear to manage fine, and I would like it to stay that way if I can help it. But, that is not what I've come here to talk about with you." The headmaster leaned forward ever so slightly and looked over his spectacles towards the teen sitting in front of him. "Harry, I told you nearly a month ago that Prince William and I had spoken about calling for a vote of no confidence against Cornelius as Minister of Magic." Harry nodded and Dumbledore continued. "I have since spoken with Prince William on multiple occasions and we have mutually decided that the date shall be this coming Sunday.

"I apologize for the short notice in this regard but I'm afraid it was a decision reached only earlier today after I revealed the extent of which Cornelius continues to cover up Death Eater activity to the young prince. Tomorrow night the prince will call for the vote at a press conference. You and I will set up a meeting with a reporter from the Daily Prophet, or rather I should say they will be setting up a meeting with us, and we will express our support for the movement. I have no doubt that we will be successful in this regard. Cornelius Fudge will no longer be Minister of Magic.

"At the same meeting with the reporter, you will let slip something about Dolores Umbridge. I will of course calm the fears of the reporter saying that I have investigated the matter and that it will be brought up before Dolores is sworn in as Minister of Magic. The information you have given us is very damning; Dolores will not survive the public outcry against her. It is my belief that Amelia Bones will be chosen as the replacement Minister of Magic. I will be offering my support for her candidacy when it is an appropriate time. I would ask that you do the same should you be asked by a reporter."

Harry nodded. "I understand professor. I will do anything to get rid of those two incompetents."

"I felt that you would my boy. Tomorrow I will be returning here and we will be speaking of this again. I believe it wise to prepare a few answers to those questions that will more than likely be asked. Also, not a word of this to anyone, it must be a complete surprise in order to successfully work, the Daily Prophet cannot know that we knew that the vote was going to be called."

"Alright sir, any specific time you wanted to hold this conversation? And how will Remus not know?"

"I will be sending Remus out on a very small task tomorrow morning, say eleven o'clock. I would like you to be ready by then if possible."

"Of course sir, I'll be ready."

.:oOoOoOo:.

"Mr. Dumbledore, Mr. Potter, thank you so much for meeting with us today. I am Eleanor Dove and am here on the request of the Daily Prophet to ask you a few questions. If I'm not completely mistaken I believe you know what this is about?"

The lady speaking had shoulder length brown hair and was of middle age. Harry guessed around forty-five. Her voice was what many would consider melodic, which was probably good at coaxing out answers from even the most stubborn of interviewees. Harry didn't imagine that she would have to use her voice to that affect today, Dumbledore and himself would be speaking out fully against Fudge.

"Well, if I'm not mistaken then I believe the meeting concerns Prince William's recent vote of 'no confidence' in Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. The reporter quickly confirmed this.

"Indeed. Headmaster Dumbledore, I'll start with you first. What exactly do you feel was the impetus behind the Prince's recent actions?"

"Please Eleanor, call me Albus. As to the question, I believe that it is fairly obvious that the Prince is in someway displeased at how either Minister Fudge runs his regime, or is displeased about the recent withdrawal of the Minister's previous statements that Voldemort," here Eleanor flinched, "has indeed returned. His actions, however, came as a surprise to me, though I agree with him."

"So you are of the opinion that Minister Fudge should not survive this vote?" Eleanor asked, her quill quickly jotting notes. Harry was pleased to see that it was not a Quick Quotes Quill.

"I believe that Cornelius was a good Minister of Magic, but he is not a war Minister, and a war Minister is what we need presently. Cornelius based his campaign on reform of the Ministry in a post Voldemort world, and he was correct, the Ministry needed that reform. But now, we need to un-reform much of the ministry."

Harry noted that the reporter was nodding, a good sign as he took it, before she started up again, "Mr. Potter, do you agree with what Albus had to say?"

"Mrs. Dove, I do not know what Minister Fudge was elected for, I only found out about the wizarding world when I turned eleven," this elicited a small gasp from the reporter, "I didn't even know that the wizarding world had a Minister until my third year, and his track record from there in my eyes is not very good. I will not be as kind as the Headmaster has been.

"Minister Fudge has made every attempt within his power to disrupt my life. His politically backed stories of my 'questionable sanity' were more than slanderous. He made sure that he was surrounded by people that agree with him; not the best way to ensure good political decisions. Perhaps I could forgive those things, but there is one thing that I cannot forgive, and that is Minister Fudge's blatant refusal to acknowledge the truth when it was presented to him.

"I warned the world after the third task of the Triwizard Tournament that Voldemort had indeed been reborn, I brought back Cedric Diggory's dead body to his family from that horrible experience. Minister Fudge hid the truth behind lies that he fed the public. Voldemort's Death Eater's have been active ever since his revival, I had a list of names of those that attended Voldemort's resurrection. Minister Fudge refused to believe me, he couldn't believe me. He is far too attached to his job, and probably the benefits that come with it.

"Last year, Minister Fudge forced upon Hogwarts the most incompetent Defense Against the Dark Arts professor that the school, to my knowledge, has ever had; and that is saying quite a lot. Gilderoy Lockheart was bad, but he at least let us practice, Dolores Umbridge," Harry spat the name out vehemently, "was a farce."

Eleanor seemed rather surprised by this but managed to ask, "Are you aware, Mr. Potter, that Dolores Umbridge, as the Undersecretary to the Minister is first in line to ascend to the post?"

"Yes, I am aware of this, however, I would urge the Wizengamot, in their estimable wisdom, to not swear Dolores Umbridge in as Minister of Magic."

"Why would you do this?" a greedy grin appeared on Eleanor's face, and Harry knew he had her full and undivided attention.

"There are a few reasons. The first being that while acting as a professor at Hogwarts, she frequently relied on torture to hide truth, namely in the form of a blood quill." If Eleanor's eyes were wide open at that statement they bugged out when Harry presented her with the back of his hand. 'I must not tell lies,' was clearly visible on his skin. Her quill was moving than Harry thought should be possible.

"Also, she admitted to myself and several other students that she had ordered my attack last summer by two dementors. During this attack I defended myself and was subsequently put on trial, before a full Wizengamot, for use of underage magic. During the meeting in which she admitted this to me she also attempted to reason to herself that she had the authority to use _crucio_ on me to gain answers which I was refusing her."

All pretense of calmness from Eleanor Dove was thrown out the window at this last statement. "She what?!" Eleanor nearly screamed.

"She did not actually cast the curse, thanks to some timely distractions, but the threat was real enough. The final reason that I urge the Wizengamot to not swear in Dolores Umbridge as the new Minister of Magic, providing that the vote of 'no confidence' does in fact succeed, is because of her unwillingness to accept those that are not fully human. Raising Dolores Umbridge's status to Minister would damage the wizarding world's relationship with werewolves, vampires, goblins, veela, half-breeds, and even house elves. I would hope that no one so bigoted and racist would ever hold such a high position in wizarding society."

"Albus," Eleanor managed to stammer out, shock still evident on her features, "why did you do nothing about this?"

"Alas, Mrs. Dove. You will find that many of these mentioned activities occurred while the Ministry of Magic removed me from the post of Headmaster. At other times there were many limits as to what I could do due to the Ministry's Educational Decrees enacted last year. These Decree's are another reason that I feel that Cornelius should be removed as Minister of Magic, he has proven incapable of insuring that our children's education is the best it can be."

Mrs. Dove finally managed to recover enough to form more questions, but remained rather shaken and excited by what she had already heard. "Albus, do you plan to run for the post of Minister of Magic if Dolores Umbridge is unable to ascend to the post?"

Dumbledore gave a knowing smile, "No, I do not. I'm far to old to enter that branch of politics again."

.:oOoOoOo:.

It was Tuesday, August 9th, and ever since Hermione had arrived at the house on Monday morning, she had not shut up about the vote of 'no confidence.' Quite frankly, Harry was getting sick of it.

"Hermione! Enough already!" he nearly shouted as they were pouring through books in the Potter library. "I know that a vote of 'no confidence' has only succeeded once in history, and that was something of an exemplary case. You've recited the details about fifteen times! I don't think I can stand another retelling!"

Hermione looked a bit put out and Harry immediately felt bad about going off on her. "Look, I'm sorry Hermione, its just I want this to all be over too. I don't know when they are going to do the vote, but I want it to be soon. I can't handle all this pressure. Forgive me?"

Hermione didn't say anything, slightly turning her back to him. Harry gave a mental sigh. His next attempt at consoling his friend was interrupted as something pounded into the library window and fell below view.

"What in Merlin's name was that?" Harry whirled towards the noise, wand drawn. The cause of the noise soon became apparent as a brown barn owl shakily rose back into view and backed off, looking ready to try again. Hermione was the first to react and barely got the window opened before the owl brained itself on the glass.

The owl, upon entering successfully, flew around the room a couple times in joy before perching on Hermione's shoulder, puffing out its feathers in an attempt to look important.

"What is that you've got there little fellow?" Hermione asked it taking a hold of the letters attached to the owl's leg. Her eyes widened as she read what was on the envelope and she gave a whoop, jumping into the air. This of course dislodged the owl; unfortunately, it failed to recover before hitting the floor.

"Hermione! You nearly killed the poor bird!" Harry chastised

"Hoot," the sound was weak and pretty miserable coming from the creature that was still on the ground.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Owl," Hermione said as she picked the creature up off the floor, "but I was just so excited by the letter's you've brought. We'll have you fixed up in no time!" she spouted off, sounding far to cheerful. "But first, my friend Harry and I have to look at our OWL scores!"

Harry's eyes widened in dread as Hermione set the owl down on a table and handed him his letter. "Lets open them together Harry," Hermione said far too happily for Harry's taste; for his part he gave her a nervous smile before ripping open the letter and withdrawing the parchment.

_Mr. Potter,  
__Enclosed are your results for the Ordinary Wizarding Level tests. We apologize for the delay in the sending off of these results but the education department has found itself slightly understaffed as of late. That said we would like to congratulate you on the successful completion of your O.W.L.s and wish you the best of luck in whatever career you choose to pursue based on these results._

_Astronomy – Theoretical (A) Practical (A) Overall (A, 63)_

_Charms – Theoretical (O) Practical (E) Overall (E, 83)_

_Care of Magical Creatures – Theoretical (O) Practical (O) Overall (O, 90)_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts - Theoretical (O) Practical (O) Overall (O, 102)_

_Divination - Theoretical (A) Practical (D) Overall (D, 40)_

_History - Theoretical (D) Overall (D, 37)_

_Potions - Theoretical (E) Practical (E) Overall (E, 74)_

_Transfiguration - Theoretical (E) Practical (O) Overall (O, 87)_

_Total O.W.L.s – 10 (72.5)_

_Mr. Potter, your results would point you into the direction of Magical Law Enforcement, Teaching, Curse Breaking, or Handling of Magical Creatures. Be aware that these are merely suggestions and there are many other fields which you may choose to go into. Your school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has been informed of your O.W.L. results and should be in contact with you shortly in regard to the courses that you will be eligible in which to enroll._

_The practical portion of the Astronomy O.W.L. was interrupted in a sufficient manner to warrant a retest. You must be present at 8:00 on the night of Saturday, September 21st in the Hogwarts astronomy tower to be eligible for this retest. _

_Your numerical score of 102 on the Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. was not only the highest of the year, but the highest score since the current system was put into place in 1891. In light of this achievement, and your exemplary score, you are not only awarded the Outstanding O.W.L., but you also awarded an Exceeds Expectations N.E.W.T. Congratulations on this achievement Mr. Potter. _

_The following scoring table was used to measure the letter grades. O.W.L.s are given for each portion of the exam, they are not based on the overall score._

_D: 0 - 49.9 (0 O.W.L.s)  
__A: 50 - 69.9 ( .5 O.W.L.s)  
__E: 70 - 84.9 (1 O.W.L.s)  
__O: 85 - 100 (1 O.W.L.s)_

'_Well that wasn't as bad as I had feared_,' Harry thought with a smile. Ten O.W.L.s! That was slightly over half again as much as Fred and George had, together. He chanced a glance at Hermione who currently seemed absorbed in the paper, and quite excited by something. Glancing over her shoulder he saw why. Hermione had gotten fourteen O.W.L.s. Not only that, but a special note at the bottom indicated that she had placed 4th of everybody who had taken the test this year.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, "do you know what this means?" she pointed to her score that indicated that she was ranked 4th.

"Umm, that you were 4th of everybody who took the test?" Harry offered lamely.

"No! You dolt! It means that I can be 1st place if I score better on the astronomy practical! That was the only test that brought me down!" She was once again jumping up and down in excitement, the owl sitting on the table hooted in fright.

"How did you do?" she asked excitedly.

"Well, not as good as you," Harry said, smiling. "But here, have a look while I get this owl some help." Harry handed Hermione his letter before calling Dobby and telling him to bring water and owl treats. The elf promptly returned with what was requested and Harry gave the owl the refreshments (it hooted a 'thanks') before sending it on its way.

"Harry you did great!" Hermione exclaimed as she scanned his results. "Ten O.W.L.s, I'm proud of you!"

"Not nearly as good as your fourteen," Harry said, "but I suppose that if everyone was as smart as you then these grades would be measured slightly different." Hermione, to Harry's pleasure, tinged slightly at the praise. Harry would have pursued his advantage had Remus not burst into the room.

"Harry!" the werewolf yelled out. "Fudge was voted out! They did it! And they are reviewing Umbridge's eligibility! Oh happy days!" The older man started dancing around the room in what Harry imagined was a very practiced dance, perhaps even one in which the other marauders often participated. For his part, Harry couldn't help but start dancing with the older wizard.

"When did this happen Remus?" Harry asked, the excitement in his voice almost palpable.

"Just now! Arthur just dropped by via floo to give us the breaking news! YES!" Remus, still unable to contain his joy pumped a fist into the air, a move that seemed to bring new light to Remus' often decrepit features.

Harry and the older wizard continued their celebration and Hermione soon joined in as well. The elation lasted well into the night and many Order members dropped by to partake in it. Even the normally stoic "Mad Eye" Moody was seen in an unusually happy mood.

Amongst the Order members to come was the entire Weasley family, who chose to capitalize on the confusion caused by the vote of 'no confidence' and move out of the Burrow in relative secrecy. Their presence was announced as Ron burst into the house through the front door lugging a large trunk.

"Bloody hell mum, what do you got in this thing?"

"Ronald Weasley! Mind your tongue!" came the automatic response.

And so it was that chaos came to the house. The remaining month before Hogwarts came back into session was starting off in a rush, and Harry briefly wondered how he would survive it with his best mate and Ginny, who apparently still had that crush on him, in one piece.

.:oOoOoOo:.

_The description of Trafalgar Square is accurate; it really is a wonderful site._

The history of the Ferris Wheel is accurate 

_The description of the sights from the London Eye are accurate, as are all descriptions of the buildings given._

_Electromagnetic Radiation is a technical term for light. The visible light range is in actuality very small in relation to the entire spectrum. Infrared light, Ultraviolet light, X-Rays, Microwaves, and Radio Waves are also considered in this category._

**(A/N: So here it is, finally. Sorry to all those who have been eagerly awaiting this chapter, but I have been extremely busy. I had relatives galore over at my house till the 9th, and since then I've been madly trying to get ready for the next semester of college.**

**Few reviewer questions answered, this will be a Harry/Hermione fic, as you can probably tell is in the making from this chapter. Here is Ron, hope you won't be too disappointed in his part in the story. Don't worry, he will still be hanging out with Harry and Hermione, it's just that Ron is quite different from his two friends, in my story at least.**

**To 'reviewer,' if you are still reading this then I am glad you continued, if you find out what annoys you about Hermione in my story then do tell, I am willing to listen to what you have to say. I'll try to work on her character some, I think that she doesn't have much depth yet; I will try to fix that.**

**Like I said in the previous chapter, at least I think I did, Jess is done with, and she has served her purpose in the story and is not important to the development of the rest.**

**Also, I have created a Yahoo! Group for my story, the link is my 'homepage' button in my profile. There you will be able to chat about anything related to, or not related to, my fic. I only ask that conversations be kept civil. If you have participated in RossWrock's Yahoo! Group then you know how the links section works. If you would like you may post links to your favorite stories there for others to read and enjoy. You may also blatantly promote your own fic.**

**So Harry finally starts to use his fame for something. What will come of this? Will Dolores Umbridge be successfully passed over as Minister of Magic? Will Harry assassinate her if she is sworn into that office? What did everybody think of the gifts? Any good? You might care to know that I suck at picking out gifts, so I imagine those didn't turn out as well as I would have hoped. Oh well.**

**Did anyone catch on that Harry's birthday was going to be in this chapter? I've kept the date in this world meticulously, and I believe that all my references to weeks and days made it into the chapters. Finally, the next chapter will, _hopefully_, cover all the way through the opening feast. That is what I had originally planned for it. However, I may have to break it up into two chapters depending on how long certain events take to get out. As it is, I'm following a very relaxed outline for this fic, I have all the major events planned, but nothing minor. I try to include at least one major event per chapter with a bunch of filler, which I write when I think of it.)**


	8. The Times, They are a'Changing

**Disclaimer** **– I do not own Harry Potter; that right belongs to J.K. Rowling and all the publishers of the series. I do not own the lyrics present in this chapter; they are property of The Cure and Something Corporate respectively. Please don't suit me, I'****m not making any money off of this and if anything I'm just giving free promotion.**

**Chapter 8 – The Times, They Are A'Changing**

The elation regarding Fudge's deposal would have continued through the rest of the week had Voldemort not decided to make clear his displeasure. A number of muggle neighborhoods were attacked, including Mayfair, mere kilometers away from Hermione's residence. The Granger's street was mercifully left alone from the carnage that the British muggle media was calling the worst set of terrorist attacks since 1980, which just so happened to be the very height of Voldemort's last rise to power. All in all, about ten muggles were killed, and near one hundred were left wounded by massive explosions.

Mr. And Mrs. Granger, in response to the newest sets of attacks, gave permission for their daughter to remain at 7 King Street for the rest of the summer. They also accepted what protection Dumbledore and the Order could give them, which, unfortunately, was not much. Dumbledore had his hands tied up in the organization of the new ministry, which was going to be headed by Amelia Bones at Dumbledore's, and the Wizengamot's, suggestion. Madam Bones' hired Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody as head of Magical Law Enforcement, a job that he was more than happy to take.

One of the first moves that Madam Bones made as interim Minister of Magic was to extend the wizarding world's apologies to those whom Umbridge campaigned against and immediately called for the Wizengamot to abolish several of Umbridge's racist laws. There were many other critical changes made within the first forty-eight hours of her inauguration including the removal of the dementors as the guards of Azkaban, an emergency call for aurors and an accompanying increased auror training pace, and authorization of the use of deadly force, and the unforgivables, in all skirmishes against assumed Death Eaters.

In addition to these overall changes, Moody managed to use his rather increased influence to secure higher penalties for all crimes for the time of war. Simple muggle baiting, which had carried a two month sentence, now carried a sentence of one year. Moody was also given permission, rather unofficially, to hold those captured in battle and suspected of being Death Eaters without access to a lawyer and the ability to dose them with Veritaserum to gain information. Needless to say, Moody was rather excited by the prospect and he did nothing but speak about it when he came to Potter Place for the many Order meetings that succeeded the vote of 'no-confidence.'

Arthur Weasley also got a promotion due to the rise of Madam Bones as Minister of Magic. Because of his competence in dealing with muggles and the frequency of which he had to do so in regards to his job Madam Bones saw fit to promote him to the official envoy to British Prime Minister for the magical government. He was working in tandem with a select group of muggles who knew about both worlds and were well versed in muggle technology. Mr. Weasley and his taskforce of muggles were granted high clearance levels regarding British spy satellites and public video feed.

At Potter Place, activity picked up substantially. In addition to more frequent Order meetings, there were, at any given time, up to six people receiving instruction in combat. Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George, all joined in on some of the lessons that both Harry and Hermione were getting. Ron and Ginny also attempted to join in on the training, but both fell back out due to the amount that they were behind, knowledge wise, and the amount that they were willing, or in this case not willing, to work. Due to the increased number of trainees, Tonks spent many of the lessons emphasizing fighting uneven odds and fighting as a team.

Dumbledore kept his appointments with Hermione and Harry between the three of them in order to better prepare them for what lay ahead. Both Hermione and Harry learned substantially more and more dangerous curses from the older wizard as they proceeded. Frequently Dumbledore would summon a book that had belonged in the Black library and was unquestionably about dark magic in order to show the two students what a text had to say about the spell. As the two continued Hermione found that she had ever increasing problems mastering spells, while Harry didn't seem to slow down at all.

When Harry confronted her about it she explained it away with a sad smile. "Harry, I told you once that you were really something special and that I was all just books and cleverness. It is at this level that it really makes a difference. What Dumbledore is teaching us now stretches the limit of my magical power. You on the other hand, your magical reserves can handle much more."

Harry immediately apologized for asking, but she brushed it away saying that there was no way he could have known. Dumbledore, for his part, supported what Hermione stated citing Harry's ability to perform the Patronus Charm at such a young age.

Medimagic training also went on, and Madam Pomfrey managed to secure the two a couple visits to St. Mungo's, where they worked with some of the less serious wounds that people showed up for. It was in this way that Harry and Hermione managed to put some of their theory on broken bones to the test, and both performed admirably. The Head Healer of St. Mungo's commended each of them for their work with a number of patients and eagerly encouraged them to take the NEWT level medimagic course that Hogwarts would be offering in the upcoming semester.

The only activity that Ron partook in with Harry was the weight lifting equipment, and that was because Harry told him it would benefit his quidditch, which it would. Ron, of course, was a bit miffed when Harry demonstrated at fifty kilograms and Ron was unable to lift that much, but Harry told him that he had only achieved that number recently, and had been doing those exercises every day for over a month now. Pacified, Ron started out at a modest forty-two kilograms.

Though Harry was more than excited at being able to spend time with his best mate and the other Weasley's, he sorely missed his time alone with Hermione. Since the Weasley's had come the two were seldom together apart from the others. In fact, their lessons with Dumbledore were one of the few times that Ron and Ginny did not accompany them everywhere. The only other alone time they had was Harry's regular piano lesson with Hermione. After allowing Ron and Ginny to come in once, Hermione had very literally thrown the two out of the room when they refused to quiet down. Ron had been rather vociferous in his calls to do something more interesting, and Ginny frequently echoed them, or worse, giggled whenever Harry did something well, or when he made a mistake. And so it was during one lesson that Hermione announced she was taking Harry out on his second muggle outing, a little more than two weeks after his birthday. He was excited at the prospect of spending some real quality time with her again.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning for London. The sun shone in the sky and there were only a few clouds to be seen, which was quite rare at any time of the year. Hermione led Harry out of the house after saying good-bye to everyone there for the day and dragged him north along Charring Cross Road, right onto Oxford Street, and north again on Gower Street. The entire journey took all of twenty-five minutes and the result was that the two were standing in front of an enormous building with a broad colonnade. There were hundreds of people milling about in front of the building, most of them off to either side of the main path where stone benches accommodated those who watched their children chase the pigeons.

"What is this place?" Harry asked, wonder evident on his face.

"This Harry, is the British museum, where we will be spending the rest of our afternoon," she answered, and so they did.

The British Museum is one of, if not the, premier museum of the world. At one point in time the British Empire was the vastest in the world. Within its maws were hundreds of lands and cultures, perhaps the most prominent being Egypt. It is said that England raped Egypt of everything of worth before that country gained its independence, and seeing the multitude of rooms dedicated to the ancient Egyptians within the library, Harry was inclined to agree. The museum also housed thousands of artifacts from the Assyrian and Sumerian cultures, taken from the Middle East.

Hermione took Harry through much of the museum, which had exhibits ranging from human prehistory (Harry thought that many of the 'tools' they had on display were in actuality nothing more than some strangely shaped stones) to the modern day. They spent ten minutes standing in front of the Rosetta Stone, which Hermione explained was the key to understanding Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. A further ten were spent at the two Inuit totem polls, each towering over the people standing beneath, and the stone monolith from Easter Island. Hermione briefly explained why Easter Island held such mystery to Harry, who had never heard of the place before.

Overall, they had made great time in exploring the museum, Hermione had stopped them at relatively few of the exhibits to explain in detail what they were, and Harry thought that they would be out of the museum by three in the afternoon, that was until Hermione took him back into the main room and into a gift shop there. The path to the restrooms were located within these gift shops, a trap for all those who had to use them, and Hermione led him down them before stopping right outside the entrance to the W.C.s.

"Umm Hermione?" Harry started, obviously confused.

"Shh," Hermione cautioned before looking down the hall both ways to make sure that nobody was coming. "Alright, it's like platform nine and three-quarters. Lets go." With that Hermione pulled Harry straight into the wall ahead of them, but it appeared that there was no wall in actuality. Instead, Harry was surprised to see another lobby, smaller than the one above them but impressive nonetheless.

"What is this?" Harry asked, still confused.

"This is the wizarding section of the library. I haven't had the chance to see it myself yet so it should be rather interesting," she answered before leading Harry through one set of doors and to the exhibits beyond. As was expected there were even more Egyptian exhibits, a few with full tombs displaced to their current location. There was a detailed description of curse-breaking and the dangers faced while excavating ancient Egyptian tombs. Both students found new respect for Bill and what he did for a living.

There were also numerous exhibits involving creatures and peoples long extinct or missing. Records of human-like elves existed from far back in human history, but no such elf had been in contact with the human world for more than ten millennia, what little was known about the species was archived there in Britain. The same went for the Dwarves, an underground dwelling race that disappeared near seven millennia prior.

There were exhibits chronicling the advance of magic from its original tribal ritualistic forms into what it currently was today, and the decline of magic since its height in the High Middle Ages. Many muggle historians regarded this period of time as the Dark Ages due to the uncharacteristically low number of historically significant documents drawn up during these years. In actuality, during this period of time magic was quite commonly known about. Muggles and Wizards coexisted. As such, most documents of any importance dealt in some way, shape, or form with magic. It was because of this that these documents were kept out of the hands of muggle historians. Magic survived as a myth, a fairy tale for children. Muggle historians have difficulty to this day explaining how society seemed to somewhat degrade and yet great progress was made.

Harry continued to let Hermione lead until they were forced to depart at closing. The constant walking and the numerous staircases that had been climbed had worn the two out, and so it was with great relief that Harry sat down to dinner with Hermione at a muggle restaurant where they spent the next hour talking over roast beef and boiled potatoes.

Finally it was time for the two to return to Potter Place and it was with regret that they retraced their earlier steps through the streets of London and returned to a waiting Ron and Ginny.

"So, what did you two do?" Ron asked, he had pleaded earlier to be allowed to come but Hermione had put her foot down, literally on his, and told him firmly that it was Harry's birthday present, and that she would not have him ruin it.

"We went to a museum, had lunch and dinner," Hermione said knowing full well that while the prospect of two meals in there would entice Ron, the thought of a museum would halt any further questions from his end. Harry nodded his agreement and life returned to normal, well somewhat, life could never be called normal with the all Weasley's in the house.

Bill and Charlie continued to take Tonk's lesson with Harry and Hermione, and the four often dueled both in and outside of class. Each team, the two Weasleys usually faced off against the students, would challenge the other once they found a new spell that they wanted to test in a dueling situation. Even Fred and George would jump into a provisional duel (no one ever knew which side they would be on) to hone their skills.

Ron and Ginny stayed out of the duels, and most of the study time in general. Ginny could often be seen reading the latest edition of Witch Weekly, which had decided to name Harry most eligible bachelor who was not yet a legal adult much to Harry's chagrin, or writing letters to her friends from Hogwarts. Ron spent much of his time facing off against a Chessmaster chess set that Harry saw fit to purchase in order to keep his mate occupied. The boy was steadily improving against the computer, which came out on top more often than not.

The study time that Harry and Hermione spent was often with a number of books from the Black family library. Ever since Dumbledore had begun using them in his lessons the two teens had seen that these somewhat 'darker' spells were far more effective and vowed to study them while they could here at the house. In addition to learning new spells, the two, namely Hermione, were making fantastic progress on the color-changing charm getting through the third arithmancy equation. Surprisingly, it had been Fred and George who had helped most with this progress.

The Weasley twins frequently had to make their own spells for use in their products in order to avoid personal and Ministry copyrights. Each had taken Arithmancy in school, both got Outstandings on their O.W.L.s, and agreed to help Harry and Hermione with the project, provided of course that they could use the result in some products after the war was over. Both students readily agreed and the twins became nearly as fervent as Hermione in working on the product.

When Harry approached them about it they each clapped him on the back.

"Harry, there is something that you should know about us -" Fred started.

"- and that is that we are very dedicated and serious people -" George cut in.

"- as long as there is some benefit for us."

"Namely profit," George clarified.

"Though we are not averse to helping out our sole investor every once in a while," Fred chimed in with a trademarked Weasley Twin's grin.

Harry cocked an eyebrow. "Well thanks then guys. Anyway, how's the shop coming along? I don't seem to recall you going off to work very often."

"Uh, well you see Harry, George and I thought that it may be a better use of our skills -"

"- for the moment at least -"

"- to help out the Order with some rather unique inventions."

"So right now," Fred shrugged, "the shop is closed. We plan to open it for a couple weekends before everybody goes off to school again to make some galleons, but after school starts up business will slow down enough that it won't matter if the shop is open."

"Well that is what we predict at least," George said. "So instead, we've whored ourselves -"

"Now George, I don't know if 'whored' is the right word there," Fred chastised.

"Well I think it is," came the counter. "We agreed to stop making jokes to make weapons, I'd call that whoring out to the highest bidder, except well, we wouldn't have whored out to ole You-Know-Who." George gave a knowing nudge to Harry.

"Happy to hear that George," Harry said with a smile. "After all, if Voldemort had you two on his team, the shit would hit the fan for sure!"

"Merlin!" exclaimed Fred. "Did Harry Potter -"

"Boy-Who-Lived and Savior of the Wizarding World -"

"Just swear!"

"Oh come off it guys, you know I'm not a perfect law-abiding kid," Harry said laughing.

Fred and George gave each other a high five. "We taught him well brother," exclaimed one.

"Yes we did!" answered the other.

"You'll have to start doing that more often Harry," George said seriously, Fred started nodding his head. "You know, swearing is an essential skill. The right swear word can bring much more meaning to what you say, or it can bring much more humor."

"Oh sod off you two." Harry said, chuckling, as he turned to head up the stairs and to the muggle room.

"He did it again!" exclaimed one of the twins below.

.:oOoOoOo:.

It was Saturday, August 24th and Potter Place was a madhouse of activity due to a number of reasons. The first being that earlier that week the students had received their Hogwarts letters and made their course selections and now they needed to visit Diagon Alley. Harry had opted for NEWT Charms, NEWT DADA, NEWT Transfiguration, NEWT Medimagic, and a few NEWT Independent study courses (namely potions, occlumency, and spell creation). He knew that he would be adding the Dueling Association once it was announced at Hogwarts.

Hermione took many of the same courses, except was taking Snape's NEWT Potions class and NEWT Arithmancy. Ron, with his nine O.W.L.s, chose NEWT DADA, NEWT Transfiguration, NEWT CoMC, Advanced Divination, Advanced Charms (he only received an acceptable on this O.W.L), and joined the Hogwart's Chess Club as an elective.

Secondly, Fred or George, Molly didn't know which one she had caught in the act, had set off three fireworks. Of course, when she had tried to banish the offending objects they multiplied ten-fold tearing through the house making a god-awful racket. The first of course was the impetus for the second. Fred and George were not returning to Hogwarts despite their mother's best pleas, but they felt that it was their duty to tag along in order to provide protection. Ron, of course, had heard their announcement of this and offered to call in Lucius Malfoy instead as their bodyguard.

This sparked an argument over who would be the best suited for the job (the twins or Lucius) that was only ended when the combined yells of Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, and Hermione silenced it. Ron muttered apologies, mostly to Hermione, but the twins remained steadfastly stoic; though they did take turns sticking their tongues out at Ron when their mother wasn't looking.

Finally, after a few more confrontations the troupe made it to Diagon Alley, the premier destination for all things wizard in the United Kingdom and arguably Europe. The twins immediately took off towards their shop to open it for business, leaving the students with Molly Weasley, who decided that the first stop for everyone was to be Gringott's. Harry, having not visited the alley in several years, was short of coinage as well and so went along with no protests.

It wasn't long before the five stood before the columns at Gringott's entrance. Harry gave a small shiver as he read the warning to all would-be thieves while walking into the gigantic entrance hall. Molly quickly found a few open tellers and each split off to be helped.

"Yes?" asked one of the goblin tellers as Harry approached.

"I wish to access my vault," Harry replied calmly.

"Do you have your key?" Harry handed it to the goblin who took it and spun it over in his fingers. Harry was moderately surprised when the goblin looked at his forehead for the telltale scar. "Mr. Potter, Gringott's has some… business… with you."

Harry swallowed nervously. '_Do I owe money? Has my vault come under ministry control?_' A million similar impossible situations flooded his mind before he spoke. "What sort of business sir?"

"You have been named in the will of a certain someone. I gather you know who?" the goblin asked quietly as to not attract attention. Harry merely nodded. "Very good, that simplifies things. If you would then, Mr. Potter, in order to complete it Gringott's will require your presence in the Will Room. If you have time, it could be accomplished relatively quickly right now."

"Umm," Harry looked over towards Hermione and the Weasley's who seemed to be waiting on him. "let me just tell them," Harry gestured towards the group and the goblin nodded.

Five minutes later found Harry in a room that reminded him strongly of the prophecy room in the Department of Mysteries. Harry was led down several paths, aside which sat hundreds of small glass orbs on numbered shelves. The goblin seemed focused as he went forward, Harry in tow. Finally he stopped and lifted one glass globe from the shelf in front of him before throwing it to the floor. Harry flinched as it shattered.

And then, just like with the prophecy a ghostly figure emerged from the broken shards. Its features were for the most part not discernable, but Harry knew it to be Sirius. Sure enough, the once handsome man's voice, rang through the mist:

"_I, Sirius Orion Black, testify today, April 22nd, 1980, that I am in sound mental condition as I dictate this will, though my heart is heavy at having to do so. Unfortunately, in this world fraught with danger there is need to keep things such as this ready. I can only hope that I went out fighting. Lily, James, you have a beautiful little boy. Raise him well. Continue the fight so that he won't have to. Never forget all the good times that we had together, I know that if the situation was reversed you'd wish the same of me. Please do not mourn excessively. You know that I don't like to see either of you unhappy, especially you Lily Flower._

"_Now don't look like that James, I can compliment your wife whenever I want, she told me so. Anyway, down to the specifics. I know that you have enough money James and that you may hate that at times, but I'm about to give you more. I bequeath upon you the contents of vault 21, the vault of the Most Pure and Noble House of Black. Its contents as of this date are roughly equivalent to eight million galleons in coinage. The deeds to three properties are also included, I personally recommend the Castle Noir; young Harry should enjoy the many secret passages and the subsequent opportunities for mischief._

"_I do have one request, that some of the money be used to help those victims of this war. I was unfortunately too busy to set this up myself, but I hope that in a world where You-Know-Who is gone you will have the time. Also, you do not need to worry, I have also provided Remus and Peter with ample amounts of money, vaults 89 and 237 respectively. The contents of Vault 711 are to be given to St. Mungo's in order to help find a cure for Lycanthropy and those suffering from the aftereffects of the Cruciatus._

"_Anyway, I wish you and Lily the best the world can offer. With any luck you'll be able to enjoy it sometime soon. This is Captain Black signing off. Never forget I love you both."_

And with that the pale form of Sirius Black dispersed, the magic binding the image and voice dissipating. Harry could do nothing but stare at the spot where the image had stood. Shock overwhelmed him as the words replayed in his mind. From that one monologue, he had learned volumes about the man who should have been his guardian. He felt the love he was capable of before Azkaban had destroyed him, and was moved by Sirius' one-sided conversation with his long dead parents. It was perhaps the best thing that could have happened, and yet, there was something lacking.

It stung that Sirius wasn't able to update his will while being a convict. Sirius had no parting words for him, Sirius couldn't imagine that his end would have come after that of his parents. Sirius hadn't even known that Peter was the traitor, even leaving him something. And so it was that Harry stood standing still, tears coming from his eyes and something akin to a grin on his face. It wasn't exactly what he needed to hear, but it was enough. With a silent 'goodbye' to Sirius he turned to the goblin who was waiting to be addressed.

"Sir?" Harry asked, doubting that the goblin needed to hear the full question. He was correct.

"You are the sole inheritor in the wills of your parents and thus Mr. Black's will is transferred to you. As Peter Pettigrew is deceased and left no will, his portion was split between yourself and Mr. Remus J. Lupin. I am sorry that his will was so outdated Mr. Potter," said the goblin in a truly apologetic tone and for a moment Harry thought that the goblin was commenting on his loss. "Because of this his estimates are quite a bit off. The Black Family Household was a key investor in Gringott's many years ago and has since the first fall of Tom Riddle accrued a truly staggering amount of interest. Vault 21 now holds twenty million galleons coin. Your share of Vault 237 is another four million galleons coin."

As much as he wanted to break down and cry, Harry knew that he couldn't, enough tears had been spilt over Sirius, and so after a few deep breathes he thanked the goblin and returned back to the lobby where he found a goblin cart ready to take him down to his vault.

"Please be seated sir," the goblin requested, and Harry, remembering how turbulent the ride could be acquiesced.

It wasn't long later that Harry returned to the main floor of Gringott's with a full pouch of coins. He met up with Hermione and the Weasleys there; they assured him they were not waiting long. When they asked what he was needed for he told them that Sirius' will needed to be validated. They didn't say anything else on the matter to Harry's relief, and Mrs. Weasley announced that she had to take Ginny to get some new robes and so the three older students were free to do their own shopping.

The next few hours were spent in a variety of stores around the alley. Of course the trio needed their textbooks, which they bought at Flourish and Blott's, Hermione and Harry needed their potion's ingredients from the apothecary, Ron and Harry spent time browsing Quality Quidditch Supplies, the trio dropped in to say "hello" to Fred and George at WWW, and Harry stopped by Junk and Trunks as his old trunk was woefully inadequate to hold his belongings nowadays. He purchased a three-compartment trunk for himself and the other three students knowing that each was in the same situation as him. Ron and Hermione had protested somewhat, but Harry calmly informed them of what Sirius had left him and they fell mute. The trunks were pretty standard, the first two compartments being roughly three times the size of what they should have been, and the third being about seven times larger.

All the shopping done, the three students met back up with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny for a late lunch, after which Harry returned to Diagon Alley alone, he told the others that there was something that he needed to take care of in relation to Sirius' will. His only stop was Quality Quidditch Supplies. During their short visit earlier Ron had said something that had really made Harry think. Those students on the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams had all the best brooms, and that is why they always seemed to end up doing the best. Hufflepuff had talented players, they really did, but they were all riding old Cleansweeps and Comets. Harry walked out of the store twenty minutes later wearing a smile, several hundred thousand galleons poorer, and leaving a store manager who had fallen over his feet in astonishment at Harry's request.

.:oOoOoOo:.

Saturday, August 31st, the day before the term was to start. The previous week was spent training and planning. After much debate between the two students Ron and Ginny were informed of Harry and Hermione's teaching status at Hogwarts and took it as well as could be expected. Ron of course pointed out the possibilities of tormenting Draco Malfoy and his two goons but the other two vetoed the idea saying that they didn't plan on abusing their privileges. Harry told Ron later though that if Draco overstepped his bounds then Harry planned to punish him in the fullest he was able to.

Most of the day was spent planning Dueling Association classes with Ron and Ginny but when four o' clock rolled around Harry excused himself so that he could get ready for his final outing with Hermione. True to form she had still not told him where they were going, but had told him to dress casually.

At five o' clock the two set out of the house and Hermione led him ever west. It took about forty-five minutes to reach their destination, Hyde Park, and a further ten to cross to where they needed to be. As the two students approached Harry was somewhat startled to see a large stage set up on the grass around the lake and by the dress of the people milling about. Almost to a man they were all wearing black and many had long hair for muggles.

Hermione led him up towards the stage and the two finally settled on standing about fifty feet off and a bit towards the side to avoid the veritable sea of people waiting for something to appear on stage. Harry didn't have to wait long to find out what was happening as soon after they arrived a number of people with many tattoos began carting equipment up onto the stage. Microphones, speakers, amplifiers, and a drum set were the first giveaways.

"A concert?" Harry asked Hermione, who nodded smiling.

"You'll never guess who," she intoned when it looked as if he was going to ask.

It turned out that he didn't need to, for one of the next things brought up to the stage was a large banner that was strung up at the back behind the drum sets, it read 'The Cure.' Harry raised an eyebrow at Hermione who simply responded, "You'll like them, trust me."

At 6:30 a great cry rang out as the five band members of the cure ran on stage. Harry found himself nearly laughing at the lead singer's hair but his mirth was halted as the band struck its first cord. A half hour later Harry found himself moving with the music as he listened to the often dark lyrics. He felt himself identifying with many of the covered topics and wanted to sing along, though he didn't know the words.

And then the music changed, and Harry felt himself changing along with it.

_Whenever I'm alone with you  
you make me feel like I am home again  
whenever I'm alone with you  
you make me feel like I am whole again _

Whenever I'm alone with you  
you make me feel like I am young again  
whenever I'm alone with you  
you make me feel like I am fun again

Hermione put her arm around his waist and leaned slightly into him as the music played, and both found themselves swaying with the beat.

_  
However far away  
I will always love you  
however long I stay  
I will always love you  
whatever words I say  
I will always love you  
I will always love you _

Whenever I'm alone with you  
you make me feel like I am free again  
whenever I'm alone with you  
you make me feel like I am clean again

However far away  
I will always love you  
however long I stay  
I will always love you  
whatever words I say  
I will always love you  
I will always love you

As the song ended and the crowd cheered Harry found his own arm around Hermione's waist in turn and he blushed slightly, but kept it in place when Hermione kept hers. In his effort to not appear as nervous as he felt Harry looked up towards the stage to see the band as they prepared for the next song.

"This is our last song tonight," the lead singer called out, "and it's a soft one too. So cuddle up with the one you are here with 'cause this one's for you." With the announcement done the music started up soft and melodic, just as the song before had been. When the lyrics started Harry found himself staring down at Hermione, and she up at him.

_"Show me, show me, show me how you do that trick  
__The one that makes me scream" she said  
__"The one that makes me laugh" she said  
__And threw her arms around my neck  
__"Show me how you do it and I promise you  
__I promise that I'll run away with you  
__I'll run away with you"_

_Spinning on that dizzy edge  
__I kissed her face and kissed her head  
__And dreamed of all the different ways I had  
__To make her glow  
__"Why are you so far away?" she said  
__"Why won't you ever know that I'm in love with you?  
__That I'm in love with you?"_

_You  
__Soft and only  
__You  
__Lost and lonely  
__You  
__Strange as angels  
__Dancing in the deepest oceans  
__Twisting in the water  
__You're just like a dream...  
__You're just like a dream…_

_Daylight licked me into shape  
__I must have been asleep for days  
__And moving lips to breathe her name  
__I opened up my eyes  
__And found myself alone  
__Alone  
__Alone above a raging sea  
__That stole the only girl I loved  
__And drowned her deep inside of me_

_You  
__Soft and only  
__You  
__Lost and lonely  
__You  
__Just like heaven_

Their eyes never left each other's for the entirety of the song and with the closing lyrics Hermione took the initiative and leaned forward, cocking her head somewhat to the side.

Looking back on the moment days later Harry reflected that it should have been the most romantic seconds of his life, his first kiss with Hermione at the end of _Just Like Heaven_ played live by The Cure, but what happened instead was almost comical. Harry was, with reason, very nervous as Hermione's lips came closer to his own. This was his best friend, a friend that he didn't want to lose, and a friend he couldn't afford to lose. In a kiss there was risk, the risk of pain and betrayal, and Harry contemplated every possible outcome of the coming kiss as Hermione advanced.

Of course, this preoccupation took a toll on Harry's concentration and as he cocked his head to meet Hermione's lips he leaned the wrong way. What should have been their first kiss ended up being their first, and hopefully only, bumping of noses. Harry, in retrospect, didn't know to whether to be relieved that the kiss hadn't gone through or disappointed, because after the two finished laughing neither pressed forward to try again. Harry kept telling himself that Hermione had only been lost in the moment, and that she didn't really want what that would-have-been kiss had been promising.

.:oOoOoOo:.

Everything was rushed, as was usual on the morning before heading off to King's Cross Station. Harry was still doing some last minute packing and was being helped by Hermione, who had, of course, finished her packing the night before after the concert. Packing wouldn't normally have been a problem, and Harry could have handled it on his own except for a notion that he had had just minutes before. Immediately he called for Hermione who agreed with him, and now, fifteen minutes till departure, found Harry scrambling up the stairs with his newly lightened trunk to the fourth floor where he immediately began to throw books from the Black family library into his trunk. Hermione, for her part, was doing the same in the Potter family library. It was a shame that Ron and Ginny had each insisted in having no part on smuggling books into school for their two housemates.

Harry, while madly going through books, thanked whatever being it was that had possessed him to buy his new trunk this summer, and similarly buy one for the others, namely Hermione, as well.

"Harry!" came Remus' yell from downstairs. "We have to leave right now if you want to make it to the train on time!"

"Alright!" came the yell back from upstairs. Harry managed to fight through his weariness and was able to throw five more books into his trunk before locking it up, and dragging it down the stairs to a waiting Remus and Tonks. Seconds later Hermione appeared from the back of the first floor dragging her trunk along and sweating from the effort.

Remus gave each of them a look clearly asking what they were doing before shrugging his shoulders, casting a feather light charm on Hermione's trunk ("I should have thought of that," she had muttered) and leading the four returning students outside to a waiting car and a waiting Kingsley. The car reminded Harry very much of his uncle's black Mercedes, as it was also black and nondescript. It was, however, not a Mercedes, but an Audi, and somewhat smaller than his uncle's car. Well, on the outside that is.

To any muggle looking on it must have seemed strange; and not unlike many car commercials, to see all four students load their trunks into the boot of the car, and then climb into the back along with Remus, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley.

Harry, who had stepped in first, was still very surprised though he had expected to see an enhanced car. The inside was not unlike that of a muggle limo, which he had seen on T.V. once when his cousin was watching some Movie Awards. There was a couch like seat facing towards the back of the car, one facing towards the front, and one covering a whole side. Being the first in Harry slid towards the front of the car and to the opposite side. Hermione slid in with Crookshanks next to him. Ginny appeared next followed closely by Ron. The adults slid in to the seat facing the students.

Kingsley had let himself into the driver's seat and turning around spoke to the four in the back. "Remember to fasten yourselves in, it's been a while since I've done this."

That of course did nothing but arise fear in both Harry and Hermione, who knew the dangers on the road, which Remus was quick to quell.

"Don't worry, this car has so many charms on it I doubt that Kingsley here could hit a building if he had wanted to."

Fears alleviated a bit the students watched out the window as the car left King Street, taking a right onto Garrick Street.

"So," Tonks began, successfully capturing the attention of the teenagers. "Dumbledore has informed me that you will be continuing the DA this year?" Both Harry and Hermione nodded their heads in the affirmative.

"Yes Tonks, but this year it is going to be a little different," Harry said. "Dumbledore is allowing kids to take the class, which is going to the called the Dueling Association, for credit."

Both Tonks' and Mrs. Weasley's eyebrows furled. "How did he manage that? Surely you are not a professor, you are too young."

Hermione cut in, "Actually, we will be part time professors. I think that Dumbledore can do so because Harry got such a high score on the DADA O.W.L. that they gave him an Exceeds Expectations N.E.W.T grade, so technically he is allowed to teach that subject."

Mrs. Weasley gasped in disbelief. "How come I have heard nothing about this? Surely it would have made the Prophet?"

"Dumbledore hasn't told anybody yet Mrs. Weasley," Harry intoned. "In fact the only people that Hermione and I have told are Remus, Ron, Ginny, Tonks and you now."

Mrs. Weasley was still mumbling when suddenly Tonks asked, "Remus, you are teaching at Hogwarts this year again aren't you?" Remus flashed the metamorphmagus a glare that clearly said 'they weren't supposed to know,' but answered anyway.

"Yes, I will be teaching first through fourth years DADA this year. Dumbledore managed to convince me to come back, despite my ailment."

"Only first through fourth?" the four students asked simultaneously. They were clearly disappointed in not having their favorite teacher back.

Remus smiled, "Yes, but don't worry, I'm sure that you will like your defense teacher as well."

"Who is it?" Ron asked, and both Remus grinned at his curiosity.

"Well, I'm not allowed to tell. But don't worry, you'll find out later tonight at the feast." He gave them a wink.

"And you Tonks?" Ginny asked. "Are you going to be at Hogwarts this year?"

She waved him off. "No time, I still am employed with the aurors, and though I may get to help guard the school at some point in time I just can't get away for now."

Harry glanced out the window and after a few seconds located the street sign tacked to the side of a building, Bloomsbury Way.

Harry idly pulled his wand out of his back pocket and began to toy around with it, spinning it in his palm and twirling it around his fingers. It was a habit he had developed over the years, though he found it especially entertaining in History of Magic and Divination. He watched out the window as the car passed pedestrians who were walking on the sidewalk. He saw a woman talking in her cell phone as they passed her red compact and a man hurrying along the sidewalk in a business suit.

"James used to do that too."

The comment from Remus brought Harry out of his reverie and he looked at Remus questioningly.

"That," Remus said, pointing to Harry still spinning wand. Harry hadn't even realized he was doing it. "He was quite good at it if I remember correctly. Always was astounding the number of ways he found to amuse himself in Transfiguration... much to Professor McGonagall's chagrin," he added smiling. "He always was naturally talented in that subject and never had to apply himself much to get his class work done."

"So a lot like Hermione then, except not in every subject?" Harry asked, hoping to goad a reaction out of his best friend. He wasn't disappointed.

"I'll have you know Harry James Potter," Harry knew he was going to get it, "that I work _very_ hard for my grades and my ability to do class work. The only reason that you find it difficult at all is that you put absolutely zero effort into any class but defense!"

By now Harry had his hands up in a defensive position and before Hermione could continue with her rant Harry stopped her saying, "Hey, hey. Down tiger! I was just trying to get a rise out of you Hermione. I know how hard you work. Merlin knows how much time you spend in the library. Not that that is a bad thing mind you," he added as he saw Hermione starting up again.

The other occupants of the car looked amused at Harry trying to calm Hermione down. It took a few minutes, mercifully Ron didn't start arguing with her, but he finally placated her and the two had moved onto discussing who they thought the new DADA teacher would be, and what the first DA lesson would be covering. They both decided that a bit of review couldn't hurt and depending on how much the members had retained there may be need for a few review sessions.

Remus, for his part was now staring out the window and noticed that they were turning from Woburn Place onto Tavistock Place. They were nearing the station.

Sure enough, after a quick left and a quicker right they were closing in on the drop-off point for King's Cross Station, which was positioned next to St. Pancras Station. The neo-gothic architecture of the giant building never ceased to amaze him. Finished in 1865, the structure had been among the largest in the world at the time and one of the more history friendly buildings in London from the Industrial Revolution. Remus noticed the many carved dragons in the walls as they approached closer.

Upon parking it didn't take long for the four in the back seat of the car to exit and remove Harry's trunk and owl cage, which was this time devoid of Hedwig, who at the moment was delivering a letter. With the help of Remus and Tonks, the students managed to drag all their belongings to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Ron and Ginny walked through first and Harry and Hermione followed, stepping through the barrier together. Harry's slight flinch went unnoticed by Hermione, for which he was grateful. Ever since the events of his second year he was hesitant to walk into the barrier for fear that he would once again run into it.

Seconds later Remus and Tonks appeared through the barrier and Harry and Hermione shared good-byes and 'thank-you's with Tonks for all of her help over the summer. Tonks returned the goodbyes and 'don't mention it's' and told the two to remember all of her advice from their summer sessions. They both thanked Tonks once again before boarding the Hogwarts Express with Remus who parted with them almost immediately saying that he had a patrol duty to get to.

Both Harry and Hermione dragged their trunks down to their usual train cart to find Ron and Ginny already seated. Now all they had to do was to wait for Neville and Luna to show up. They didn't have to wait long. Neville stepped into the compartment five minutes later, followed by Ms. Lovegood.

"Hello Neville, Luna," Harry greeted the two with a smile. "How were your summers?"

This prompted a quick discussion about everybody's summers and though there were some inquiries into Harry and Hermione's the two of them didn't let much out, just that they had done a lot of studying. Neville gave Harry a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, a move that had become quite often over the past month.

"Well don't worry Harry," he began, "that hell is all over now."

Hermione 'hmphed indignantly and Harry decided to act and forestall the coming argument. "Actually Neville, the studying was quite enjoyable. Hermione here taught me how much there is to learn from a bit of studying." Everybody but Luna looked horrorstruck.

"So, did you find the Snorcaks Luna?" Harry asked her, forestalling the 'Who are you and where is Harry Potter' comments that were coming. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"No we didn't, but we were close. I had to come home to make it to Hogwarts. Disappointing really, we were tracking one when I had to leave. Father is still out there. He says that he is going to capture it and prove that the Crumple-Horned Snorcaks exist." Harry could only wonder how Luna felt so confidant in an impossible search and briefly wished that he could have some of that confidence for his impossible battle.

The six sat in the compartment and talked for another hour before the trolley cart lady came in. As he had many years before Harry bought out her stock for the compartment, despite the protests, and insisted that everyone dig in. They all did.

Ron was in the middle of a chocolate frog and Harry and Neville were in the middle of a game of exploding snap when the inevitable occurred. The door opened and Malfoy strode in, his two goons in tow.

Harry looked up, "Oh hello Malfoy. You're late."

Malfoy gave him a look that clearly stated, 'What are you talking about?'

"I expected you here near half hour ago. I simply thought that you'd need to deliver poorly constructed insults that you no doubt spent all summer working on. Do you have any worthwhile ones to deliver this year? Because if you don't then you might as well get lost, we've heard all your old ones many times before."

Draco looked infuriated, "Potter, you -"

"- are going to get it from the Dark Lord. He is going to hunt you and your friends down and kill them all," Harry finished. "Really _Draco_, I told you if you don't have new material to get lost."

When Malfoy didn't move Ron started. "You heard him Malfoy, your presence is unwanted."

"Shut up Weasel," Malfoy responded. "I see your -"

"- financial situation hasn't improved. Haven't they given your father a pay raise yet?" finished Harry once again. "Malfoy, I told you, come up with new ones or get the hell out."

"Yeah Malfoy," this time it was Neville, who was fingering his wand.

"Do you really want a repeat of last year Malfoy?" Ginny said, clearly displaying that her wand was ready to be drawn and used.

Malfoy gave a sneer at this, but gave a hand movement that signaled to Crabbe and Goyle that they were to back out.

Just before he left though Harry spoke up, "Oh, Malfoy." The blonde turned around. "Do try to behave yourself at the opening feast," Harry stated with a cryptic smile.

Malfoy parted with a final sneer and Harry closed the door. Luna chose this time to break into peals of laughter. The laughter was contagious and the six quickly spoke about the incident and forgot of it completely.

.:oOoOoOo:.

"First Yer's, first yer's this way!"

"Hagrid!" came the yell from Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

"Why 'ello there you three," Hagrid said smiling.

"Its nice to see you here the first day Hagrid, it felt so odd without you here last year," Hermione said.

"Well thank you 'ermione. I 'eard you all had good summers, and that you two," he said this looking at Harry and Hermione, "had a very productive summer."

"Yes, yes we did Hagrid," Harry replied with a smile. "Well, we will let you get back to your duties and we'll see you at the feast."

"Alright you three, make sure that you come to visit me down at the hut."

"We will Hagrid," came the agreement.

With that the trio found the other three and approached the carriage. Their progress slowed as they came closer, and it was Neville who finally voiced everyone's thoughts. "Harry, are those the -" He left the question unfinished.

"Yes," came the delayed response. "Those are the thestrals." There was a sigh. "I. I was hoping that you wouldn't be able to see them. Wishing, however slight, that you wouldn't be able to see them because that would mean that Sirus was still alive." He had ended slowly.

He was enveloped in a hug, one that he had come to recognize during the last few months. "Thanks Hermione." Harry noticed Ginny shooting daggers at his best friend before she too latched onto him. "Uhh, you too Ginny."

"Thanks Harry," came the happy reply.

"It's going to be okay Harry," Hermione said softly.

"I know. It's just that sometimes; sometimes I can't see that happy ending. Part of it died with Sirius," he almost whispered. It was only Hermione that heard him and she slightly tightened her embrace to let him know that she was there.

Ron was, needless to say, surprised, when Hermione had embraced Harry. '_Is this something that happened during the summer?_' he thought to himself somewhat envious. _'Are Hermione and Harry seeing each other?'_ He didn't want to think that they were. Ron had come to realize over the summer that he harbored some real feelings for Hermione and since telling her had not been told by her if similar feelings from her end existed.

Harry pulled himself out of Hermione's embrace and stepped into the carriage. The other five students followed him and soon the carriage door was shut and the six felt the lurch that indicated the movement of the coach. It was fifteen minutes to the unloading point and the passage passed in silence. Harry did, however, notice that Ron stared at him and Hermione and looked a little green but passed it off as nothing.

The six entered the entrance hall and headed for the Great Hall along with the rest of the students. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville took their usual seats at the Gryffindor table while Luna headed towards her place at the Ravenclaw table and they waited for the first years, escorted as was usual by McGonagall, to arrive. The wait wasn't long, and Harry made small talk with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finniganasking about their summers and telling them that the DA was going to continue. After that short conversation Harry walked up to the Head table and quietly spoke with Remus. The move caught some attention from not only his friends, but a few others as well. Harry could only hope that his actual intentions for walking away from his table would not be discovered.

When he returned to his seat he was asked by Hermione what was going on, and he simply gave her a 'just wait and see' smile.

Finally the first years entered and they were all nervously looking around. Harry swore that he heard one of them ask where the troll was and had to stifle a laugh.

_It is my rather dull and boring job  
__To sort you into a house_

_So put me on you sorry sobs  
__And I'll tell you where to go you louse_

_Perhaps you are noble Gryffindor  
__Brave, often rash and bold_

_Or secretive Slytherin  
__Cunning, selective, sometimes cold_

_Perhaps you belong in Ravenclaw  
__Where knowledge is revered_

_Or in the House of Hufflepuff  
__In which loyalty's held dear_

_But no matter where you belong,  
__Or where you think you do,_

_Do not limit your horizons  
__To a simple selected few._

_I call once again for unity,  
__For in these times you must remain strong_

_For an end to house rivalry  
__Before it can do more wrong._

_This school was founded  
__With one intent in mind,_

_That is to educate, nothing else,  
__Do not let prejudice render you blind_

_To the assets of each other,  
__Not the faults should you only see_

_I call for you to stand together  
__To become what Hogwarts was meant to be._

"So I'm thinking that the sorting hat doesn't usually insult the students its about to sort," Harry mumbled to Ron.

"Yeah," came the reply, "but you have to admit that it was bloody brilliant."

Professor McGonagall looked somewhat shocked at the Sorting Hat's song, but continued with the sorting ceremony.

"Abbot, Adam."

And so it began. The sorting ceremony ended with a final count of eleven to Gryffindor, ten to Ravenclaw, eleven to Hufflepuff, and nine to Slytherin. That was, all in all, not unusual.

Harry laughed at this as Dumbledore stood. "I have but one thing to say, quoted from the exceptional man Michel de Montaigne, 'The art of dining no slight art, the pleasure not a slight pleasure.' Tuck in."

And so began a round of much stuffing of food into the face, getting as much on the cheeks as in the mouth. Well, at least for - "RONALD WEASLEY!" yelled a horrified Hermione Granger. Ron, for his part looked up (he was bent over his plate) mouth full, cheeks puffed out. He looked not unlike a mouse that was storing food in its cheeks for transport.

"What do you think you are doing?"

It took Ron a few more seconds to actually get the rest of the food in his mouth down his throat when he offered a simple one-word explanation. "Eating."

With that he bent back over his plate and once again began to shove food into his mouth at a speed that rivaled most packing machines. Harry and Neville could do nothing but laugh at the display and Hermione continued to stare on in utter shock at the gross display of masculine eating habits.

"Don't worry Hermione," Dean began with a wink. "We aren't all as crude as Mr. Weasley here."

And indignant grunt was heard coming from Ron, as well as what was assumed to be some choice words, though they were unintelligible. This earned Ron another set of laughter and his face turned a brilliant shade of red. He was quite embarrassed.

"Don't worry Ron," Harry said slapping him on the back, and earning a grunt in return. "We won't tell your mother."

A look of fear crossed Ron's face at the thought of his mother discovering the way he was currently eating but it passed in relief at Harry's promise.

"Ron," Ginny began with an evil grin. "I made no such promise." With that she took a picture of him, face bent over his plate, mouth full, and hand currently trying to shove a cornbread muffin in as well. It was the third round of laughter that he had earned that evening and Ron, after some desperate pleading with Ginny, agreed to lighten up on the food. He hadn't done anything to warrant such punishment.

After everybody had finished their meals, yes, even Ron, Dumbledore clapped his hands and the dishes disappeared. The food stains on Ron's robes however, did not. Dumbledore then began his customary speech.

"Welcome, one and all, to another year here at Hogwarts. I have a few announcements, the first and foremost being that due to the recognized return of Lord Voldemort," there were flinches across the room, "there will be the occasional auror team here to insure safety and make routine inspections. Also, the Forbidden Forest, as the name suggests, is off grounds for all students without the accompaniment of a teacher. There are some who would do well to try to remember that this year." He gave a look towards the Gryffindor table and was met with innocent smiles.

"There have been fifty-five items added to the forbidden items list. The full list is present in Mr. Filch's office. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," he said addressing Ron and Ginny, "Please do congratulate your brothers for me, they made possible this largest ever amendment in one year to Argus's list. I expect that they would be quite honored." Ron nodded and smiled, along with most of the Hogwarts population. Only the first years seemed confused. "Finally, in conjunction with the aurors patrols, there has been a new wing added to the castle for their use. Any student caught in this wing will be subjected to the harshest of penalties. Do not attempt to enter this wing without the accompaniment of either one of the aurors or myself." Dumbledore looked out to the crowd of students to make sure that everybody understood explicitly that that announcement in particular was not to be ignored.

"Those unpleasantries out of the way," started Dumbledore again, "I have an announcement that I believe will be well received. Last year there was a slightly illegal group formed in order to study Defense Against the Dark Arts." A number of students began to smile. "The participants of this group had the highest DADA scores in the history of Hogwarts. Congratulations. Due to the overwhelming success of this group I have decided to sanction its continuance." There were a number of cheers from the DA members. "The DA, as it was so cleverly called will be going through a slight purpose and name change. It will now be called the Dueling Association and will be offered for credit. The professors for the class will be Harry Potter and Hermione Granger and the class will be held twice a week in the evenings."

Deafening silence met this announcement and Dumbledore's eyes held far more twinkles than they normally did. Snape was sputtering in protest and looked as if he was about to burst an artery, Draco looked much the same. McGonagall seemed to not know whether to look scandalized or proud and so settled for an odd combination of both. Flitwick appeared in much the same situation. Suddenly though, and growing like a wave coming to crest, a cheer ripped through the crowd of students. All the past DA members rose to their feet and applauded the two students heavily, much to their embarrassment. Only the Slytherins were seated still by the time Dumbledore regained control of the Great Hall.

"That announcement through I would also like to introduce the new DADA teachers. Remus Lupin will be returning to us as the DADA teacher for the first through fourth years." Disappointed 'ahhs,' were heard from the older students while the fourth years cheered madly, they had had him their first year at Hogwarts. Dumbledore continued after the noise died down. "The professor for the upper years will be Mr. Kingsley Shaklebolt, an auror until I hired him for the job."

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny cheered madly for their new teacher, knowing that he would be far superior to most DADA professors that they had had before and many others followed their lead. A few from the Slytherin table, namely Malfoy's following, looked affronted that a black man had gotten the job and Harry found himself sickened by their racism, but he managed to hold himself back from commenting knowing that Draco's comeuppance was coming.

"Now let us now sing," Dumbledore announced bringing Harry's attention back to the Headmaster. Suddenly the words to the official Hogwarts song materialized and everybody took off at their own pace. Harry found himself missing Fred and George's funeral march. He himself had finished the song as fast as he could, set to a rock beat.

"One final note," Dumbledore said as if he had just thought of it. "I would encourage everybody to take in the Sorting Hat's advice this year. It would be highly beneficial to stand together in these times.

It was then that Draco spoke up. Harry had been waiting all night for the Slytherin to disobey his warning. "Right, like I'm going to associate myself with the mudbloods that have infested the other houses of Hogwarts."

McGonagall, hearing the comment, stood looking furious, but anything she was about to say was cut off by the music that began to play. She looked quite confused but sat down at Remus' urging, who said that the situation was about to take care of itself.

A quick drumbeat started the song and a few of the muggleborns recognized the wound of the electric guitar now emanating from the hall.

_I have a story, a bitter anthem for everyone to hear,  
about this kid who just don't like me and that's a solid fact.  
They say he's hunting me and as you see I'm all swelled up with fear  
'cause I can't get him off my back._

Whispering began to break out. Somebody from Hufflepuff obviously had recognized the song and was now telling what it was.

If you see Draco, if you see Draco,  
He makes me sick, he makes me sick  
fifth year's over, fifth year's over  
and you still won't quit.

If there had been whispering before, it had just turned into heated discussion. People began to look over at Draco and laugh. Harry could see fingers pointing with hands covering mouths for secret conversations. This was his moment.

_  
You tried to fight me down out by the lake; and man I think that's great.  
You nearly cried and said "to hell with you," like you do at all the girls.  
Then you flew back real quick, did you make it in time to masturbate?  
There's one too many of you in this world._

Peals of laughter broke out at the latest verse and Draco had turned decidedly red with embarrassment. He was sending death glares at Harry who in turn was doing anything to not look at Draco. Hermione had obviously deduced by now who was behind the prank and began to whisper questions to Harry and warned him of the possible punishments.

_  
If you see Draco, if you see Draco,  
He makes me sick, he makes me sick  
fifth year's over, fifth year's over  
and you still won't quit._

"Harry, you can't let this go on for much longer. Snape will have your blood," Hermione warned him. Harry fixed her with stare.

"I don't know what you are talking about Hermione. If you think I did this, then you are sorely mistaken." With that he left his friend quite flustered, but gave her a reassuring wink. It was meant to reassure her that she was quite correct in her assertions, but that he had covered his tracks quite thoroughly.

_  
You say its hatred, but its jealousy that led us to this song.  
Won't play it often just at least until you're gone.  
You'll stop at nothing but the real thing and everything up to that's pretend.  
You tried to brainwash all my friends._

By now, Snape was bellowing at Dumbledore to have Harry expelled, though he had yet to give proof that Harry was behind the prank. McGonagall and Flitwick were both madly working on a countercharm and Dumbledore could do nothing but sit back and enjoy the show, eyes twinkling madly.

Harry knew that he would never be able to convince the old wizard that it wasn't him, but Dumbledore would not be able to find enough proof to implicate him in the prank. Of that he was sure.

_If you see Draco, if you see Draco,  
He makes me sick, he makes me sick  
fifth year's over, fifth year's over  
and you still won't quit._

As the chorus started again there were whispers questioning what would come next. The Hufflepuff boy seemed to know, but he wasn't about to tell anybody. Instead, Harry could see anticipation of the next verse.

_  
Fuck you Draco, fuck you Draco,  
You make me sick, you make me sick  
fifth year's over, fifth year's over  
I don't care if you dye your hair,  
You'll always be a little blonde-haired bitch_

If the laughter had been loud before, it just became deafening. It seemed that everybody wanted Draco to be put in his place for once.

It was, however, the final straw for Snape and Draco. The former began to walk towards the Gryffindor table, no doubt about to wring Harry's neck when he was halted by a command from Dumbledore. Draco, however, had grabbed his wand and threw a hex at Harry who had anticipated the move and through up a _protego_ shield to block it.

Unfortunately for Draco, or more accurately his pride, the hex rebounded off the shield directly back at him and took him full in the chest. Seconds later boils began to pop up all over his skin and equally quickly they began to pop, puss spilling out. Draco began to scream in pain and was quickly rushed by Madam Pomfrey to the hospital wing.

Snape immediately began to yell at Harry from his standing position in front of the head table threatening expulsion at least five or six times before being quieted by Dumbledore. Everybody else was quieted as well when Dumbledore sent a shower of sparks into the air to gather attention.

"That was decidedly amusing," began Dumbledore much to the shock of Snape and McGonagall. "It was however, inappropriate. And therefore, when the offender is caught, there will be punishments." At this he looked over at Harry, who gave an innocent shrug.

"Now that the excitement is finished however, you must be getting off to your common rooms."

With that dismissal everybody stood and walked out of the hall. Immediately the talk turned once again to the prank, which Harry decided would go down as one of the best memories of his times at Hogwarts, and definitely a memory that could be used to call forth a Patronus.

On the trip up the common room, Harry could see Ron bursting with questions that he wanted to ask. But Harry fixed him with a stare that clearly said 'later.' Ron seemed to accept this and for his part proved completely useless in leading the first years to the Gryffindor common room. He was completely lost in the conversation he was having with Dean Thomas about the prank just played.

Hermione, though upset at this, could not deny the effectiveness of the prank, or that she too would be discussing it if it weren't for her prefect duties.

Harry, for his part, made some small talk with a new first year Gryffindor, Melissa Cook, who had recently come into the wizarding world. The young girl had heard his name before, but was completely clueless as to who he was or what he did. That had somehow comforted Harry and made the process of getting to know her easier as she wasn't constantly looking for his scar or asking him about Voldemort. Harry eased her fears about the wizarding world and about making friends.

Once in the common room Hermione, without Ron's help as he was still discussing with Dean, explained where the boy and girl's dorms were and the consequences for attempting to enter the opposite sex's rooms.

Once her prefect duties there were done though, she dismissed the younger years to their dorms and sat down with Harry, Ron, Neville, Dean, and Seamus in the common room.

"So Harry," began Dean in a calm manner. "What did you think of the prank?"

"Oh, I don't know Dean. I thought it was bloody brilliant. I'm up for it any time somebody wants to put Malfoy in his place."

"You know what he meant Harry," Ron cut in. "Did you do it?"

"Ron, that you would even suggest such a thing!" He gave everybody present a large wink . "Of course I didn't. As if I would know how to do such a spell anyway. McGonagall and Flitwick were both trying to stop it and they couldn't. Why, according to that, I'd say the best candidate would have been Hermione. I don't know of anybody else that clever."

Hermione ruffled up, "Harry James Potter, I most certainly did not do that prank. That you would even say such a thing. You of all people should know just how much -"

"- you enjoy breaking rules 'mione? I seem to recall several circumstances where rules seemed unimportant." Everybody present got a good laugh at Hermione's expense and she was about to excuse herself when Harry apologized.

"I'm sorry Hermione. I shouldn't have said that. Someone might think that I was serious. After all, these walls do have ears." At that, he gave a look to each one of his classmates signaling the real reason he couldn't tell them outright that he had been the one responsible for the prank, as much as he longed too.

.:oOoOoOo:.

Back in his office Dumbledore chuckled at the latest revelation. "Very clever Harry, very clever indeed," he said to himself. The old wizard and the present teachers had been unable to connect the prank to any student. Apparently, the charm had been triggered by an impetus. Thus, Dumbledore had resorted to using the paintings to spy on Harry for an admission of guilt. The boy was learning though, and for that Albus was proud. It was because of this that he ceased his eavesdropping and decided that the issue was dealt with, and that the perpetrator could not be found. He notified Severus immediately that his search using the paintings of the castle was unsuccessful in finding out the truth. Severus had been livid to say the least and insisted that he be allowed to interrogate 'Potter' with use of Veritaserum.

Needless to say, Dumbledore was amused, but unyielding. Snape left the headmaster's office swearing to Merlin that he would make the boy pay.

Dumbledore was thoroughly pleased at Harry's spellwork, and decided that after he let the boy know he was 'in the clear' so to speak, he would ask exactly what the impetus that triggered the ingenious prank was. '_Yes, that is exactly what I shall do. Always knew that young Harry was a clever one_,' he thought as he popped a lemon drop into his mouth, lips slightly puckering at the sour taste.

.:oOoOoOo:.

**(A/N: Okay, I have some serious notes to put here, I only hope I get them all. First off, thanks to all the reviewers, especially PK Fan and old-crow (for their constructive criticism). I hope I got it better this time PK. **

**The British Museum. What I have described in this story is accurate (except of course for the wizarding section) as of last summer when I visited the place. The main lobby, if you haven't seen it, is absolutely gigantic. In the middle of it sits an entire library structure and it is easily five stories tall. The exhibits I described were really there. If you ever get the chance, I really do recommend that you visit it. I'm pretty sure the instructions I gave on how to get there are correct.**

**The Wizarding Section. Don't worry, or don't get your hopes up, (either way) I'm not introducing elves and dwarves into this story. I simply thought that a museum of such repute would have any information on the creatures if there was any. As to the Dark Ages, I made most of that up. I'm not even sure when the Dark Ages were (I was too lazy to find out) and relied on what I heard my history professor say one time to gauge the years (for some reason I think they were earlier than what I put them at here).**

**Chessmaster is a chess set that plays against you by use of computers that calculate hundreds of thousands of moves per second in order to make, conceivably, the best move. They usually have several difficulty levels.**

**Fred and George's repartee with Harry was adapted from Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail. Kudos to anyone who caught that.**

**I apologize to those who wanted me to continue in detail the rest of the summer, but I couldn't do it. I tried, honestly. Thus the product is the time warps that had this chapter include the entire last month of staying at Potter Place.**

**The Trio have chosen their classes based on their O.W.L. results. Both Harry and Hermione had better results than Ron and will be in a few different classes. However, most of these are their independent study classes so there will be plenty of classes with professors that Ron will be attending with the other two, don't fret.**

**Sirius' Will. I have read hundreds (maybe) of stories that have Sirius somehow know that Harry would be blaming himself for his death and in which Sirius basically holds dialogue with our hero. I decided to switch it up a bit and show what Harry considers a 'lost' side to Sirius. I hope that you all liked the result.**

**Shopping. Again, I have read hundreds (maybe) of stories that have Harry go on some sort of huge shopping spree, maybe spawned by RossWrock's excellent story Power of Time, maybe not, but I decided to forgo this scene. Also, what was Harry doing in Quality Quidditch Supplies? I would credit it to someone, but I honestly forgot who I read it from. I'm very sorry and I hope you can forgive me if you are reading this. And if anyone knows what is going to happen and knows where I got the idea please tell me so I can credit it ASAP. It's not a big deal to the story, but I do feel bad about it.**

**Cure Concert. So what did everybody think? The Cure actually did go on a world tour in 1996 and did stop in Britain, but as far as I can tell it was in December, not August. Oh well. If you don't know who The Cure are then go get some of their music and listen to it, I recommend the two songs I took the lyrics from. Again, those lyrics do not belong to me.**

**I'd also like to apologize for any possible mistakes made in the last half of this chapter. That section of this chapter was written months ago, literally, and I've gone trough it a couple times to attempt to make sure that everything fits in place. Ron and Ginny were originally not staying at Potter Place and so I apologize if the leaving to King's Cross station seems to leave them out a bit much, but I was having a hard time editing them in, along with Mrs. Weasley.**

**Sorting Hat song. I really think that this is mine, but I could be wrong. If it is not mine then would someone please tell me so I can credit it? Again, it was put in here months ago and I can only remember not wanting to write a sorting hat song, but I think I did eventually do this one.**

**Prank on Draco. The song used was iF yoU C Jordan by Something Corporate. This song, unlike the other two in this chapter, was not in existence at this time but I couldn't pass up the opportunity for this prank, it is actually what inspired me to write this entire story. That said, what did everybody think of it?**

**Okay. This is officially the longest chapter and the longest set of author's notes I've ever written. Thanks for sticking with it and I hope it didn't disappoint. Please Review. Also, I have an idea for another story, which I probably won't write for some time. It is in my profile. The story title would be Harry Potter: Incurably Criminal Boy, read the description and tell me what you think. Also, feel free to use the idea if you want, consider it a challenge.)**


	9. Tell Draco He Just Made My List

**(A/N: "Hello out there! I have returned from the journey that is finishing a chapter. There were many perils along the way such as the dreaded 'writer's block' and 'fleshing out' that were beaten back at long last by pure willpower. There was a time though, where the muddy path nearly took me and I found myself sinking in pit of frustration. There, it was only the cries of the reviewers that saved me, giving me strength to grab a hold of a nearby mini-plotline and pull myself out. For that, I have you all to thank. Now, I believe that it is on with the story that has lain dormant for so long. Ladies and gentlemen, with no more ado I present to you, chapter nine!")**

.:oOoOoOo:.

**Chapter 9 – "Tell Draco He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today"**

At breakfast the following morning a signup sheet for the Dueling Association was passed around and both Harry and Hermione were pleased with the number of people that looked as if they were signing up for the class. Some of the younger years looked disappointed that they were unable to take the class; Dumbledore had limited it to fourth year and above with the exception of Dennis Creevey who was in the DA the year previous. After the sheet had finished its rounds through the school each student received their timetables. Harry smiled as he looked down at his paper. For the first time in five years, he wouldn't have to endure the torture that was Snape's Potions class.

Ron gave a 'whoop' as he realized the same thing and exclaimed that the trio started off with a double session of N.E.W.T. Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry quickly verified this and confided with those that asked that he had high expectations for Shaklebolt's performance. After breakfast the trio led the way through the halls to the DADA classroom and took seats at the front, eagerly awaiting Kingsley's arrival. They didn't have to wait long.

As the clock on the wall ticked 8:00 the door from the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office opened and Kinglsey Shacklebolt stepped out. He descended the stairs with an assurance of self that had been unmatched by any professor before him, not including Lockhart, and strode purposefully to the podium at the front of the class. The student's heads turned as he moved, following his progress and forming judgments about their newest DADA professor. Harry thought that the man was putting on a good first impression.

"Hello class," Kingsley started, his deep voice startling a couple students. "Before I introduce myself and explain in short what Defense Against the Dark Arts will be focusing on this year I need to take roll. Forgive me if I mispronounce your names, and please be patient with me while I try to learn them. Alright then," Kingsley picked up a sheet of paper from the podium. "Hannah Abbot?"

The once shy Hufflepuff raised her hand and Kingsley gave her a warm smile before continuing with the roll. Harry was pleased that, unlike any of their new professors before, Kingsley merely called his name and continued on without making undue glances at his scar or telling some sort of story. Soon enough roll was called, Harry had almost groaned when Draco Malfoy's name was called, though the Slytherin was without his two bodyguards.

"Okay," Kingsley started after putting down the roll sheet. "Welcome to N.E.W.T. Defense Against the Dark Arts. This class will be vastly different than any other Defense Against the Dark Arts class you have had before. Not only will it be more difficult, it will be intensive, and the things you learn I expect will change the very way you live and look at things. The text, though reading will be assigned, is secondary to in-class practical work. You will not be required to bring the text to class, and don't expect to have time in class to do any assignments.

Grades in this class will be based on a combination of class work, participation, and tests, of which there will be three each semester. Homework will only ever be reading and extra practice of what we did in class. Though it is not a part of the grade officially, it will count somewhat in the class participation section, and I expect everyone to keep up to date with it." He gave a quick glance around the room searching for any student that looked as if they would take advantage of his not checking homework; he found none.

"Now, a little bit about myself. As you know, my name is Kingsley Shacklebolt, you can call me Professor Shacklebolt, Professor Kingsley, or just Professor, whichever is most comfortable for you. I attended Hogwarts in the 1960' s - 1970's, graduated in 1975. After school I enrolled in auror training and have been an active auror in the corps for eighteen years. Headmaster Dumbledore asked if I would take this position earlier this summer, I obviously accepted.

"I have browsed your education in the subject briefly and I assure you that unlike most of your previous Defense Against the Dark Arts professors, I am competent." This earned a few smiles from the students. "Now before I continue are there any questions?"

No one raised a hand. "Very good. Now, can anyone tell me what Dark Arts are exactly?"

"Anything used for a dark purpose," Ernie Macmillan called out.

"Do you mind expanding your answer Mr. Macmillan?" Kingsley asked.

"Any art used with the intent to hurt in some way?" Ernie offered, a bit unsure of his answer.

"Very good," Kingsley said. "Dark Arts are any art used with intent to hurt. The injury can be physical, it can be psychological, it can be social, but it is always intended. That is what a Dark Art is. I expect that with the second rise of," Kingsley took a short breath, "Lord Voldemort," most of the class gasped, Draco looked deciding smug, "Dark Arts will once again become commonplace. It is my job to teach you to defend yourselves in the event of an attack.

"A wise man once said, 'Know thy enemy.' I fully believe in this concept of defense and so, unfortunate as it is, I will be giving each of you a rudimentary understanding of the Dark Arts, and teaching you some spells that are mostly used as a dark art. It is my opinion that one cannot fight against that which he does not know and understand."

This statement was something of a bombshell dropped on the students who immediately erupted in soft whispers, more than a few of which were directed at Harry. Kingsley let them continue for a few moments before reigning the class back in. "I know that in your fourth year you were taught the unforgivables, I assure you that I will not teach you anything of that nature." This seemed to calm the class down somewhat and Kingsley continued to relate to the class some of the specific topics that they would be covering.

Pain curses, shield charms, and deflecting curses were all part of the curriculum. Harry and Hermione would be far ahead of the class in most of the topics mentioned as Tonks had seen fit to give the two a very thorough education, but Harry was interested nonetheless in Kingsley's specified style of teaching. It was far different than Umbridge's had been, and that held a great appeal for the Boy-Who-Lived.

The last half of the class was spent going over some basic material that the students had learned in past years and it was all too soon, in Harry's opinion, that the class was finished. As soon as the bell rang, Hermione packed her bags and with a quick 'bye' to Harry took off to get to Arithmancy early. She needed to speak with Professor Vector.

"So Harry," Ron asked in the hall outside the classroom, "how do you think Kingsley will do?"

"Well, he'll certainly do better than Umbridge," Harry said with a smile. "I figure he'll rank right up there with Professor Lupin."

"I don't know mate, Lupin was the best teacher we've ever had," Ron countered shaking his head.

"We'll see Ron. Anyway, what do you think about the material we will be covering?"

"Tell you the truth, I'm a bit nervous about it," Ron answered. "I've got no love for those curses, but I suppose that we'll be seeing enough of them soon, so I better learn what they do. How about you? I bet you already know half of that stuff."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, Tonks was a pretty decent teacher. I almost wish that she was here, but I guess she is kind of young to be quitting her job as an auror. But yeah, Hermione and I already know a bunch of that stuff. It should be helpful though, a lot of the DA will be over some of those topics." Harry pulled out his timetable. "What do you got now?" he asked Ron.

Ron pulled his out of his pocket and winced. "Urgh, Divination. I better get going if I'm going to make it to class on time. See you later tonight mate."

"Talk to you later Ron," Harry called after his best friend. It was a strange feeling bidding his friend goodbye at school. It was the first time he and Ron had different classes in all their six years of schooling at Hogwarts. As Ron turned the corner to the staircases Harry turned towards the library, he had a free period before having to go to Medimagic and he wanted to test if the notice about his access to the Restricted Section had been sent to Madam Pince.

An hour later found Harry relating to Hermione his first experience of permitted visitation of the restricted section and of his quick glance in the teacher's library as the two walked towards their medimagic class. It was a familiar route as Harry was often injured and thus needed the attention of Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing, and they followed the path on autopilot. Stepping into the classroom, which was located within the Hospital Wing itself, the two quickly found seats near the front of the class where they were greeted warmly by Madam Pomfrey. The two students continued to speak with their teacher until it was time for the class to begin.

"Hello everybody, and welcome to the first Medimagic class available in twenty years here in Hogwarts. As you know, I'm Madam Pomfrey and you may continue to address me as such, professor is not needed. I will be giving each of you a thorough background in this branch of magic over the next two years and you will be ready for the Medimagic NEWT when the time comes. This class will be very difficult, there is a lot of theory you will need to know, and it will also require that you spend time outside of class working with me in the Hospital Wing at times. I will collect each of your schedules for clubs and whatnot at a later date, probably next week sometime, and set up a time for each of you."

Harry could see a few students grimacing at losing free time but each there, mostly Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, wanted to learn and knew that the extra time would help accomplish that.

Madam Pomfrey continued. "Alright, Medimagic is first and foremost about empathy." Harry lost concentration a few times during the following lecture as he had received nearly the exact same one those few months ago in the summer. The lesson plan for the first semester was pretty much what he and Hermione already knew, but since those basics were key to the understanding of the art as a whole Harry didn't mind that he was getting a better foundation.

'_Plus, the first semester of this will be easy so I can better concentrate on my other classes and the DA_,' he thought with a small smile. Hermione would probably smack him if he suggested that they could take it easy in this class.

.:oOoOoOo:.

"I don't know why I elected to take divination again mate, be glad you got out of it," Ron said between bites at the lunch table. "Trelawney was worse than ever today, predicted my death, Neville's, and even Lavender's. Poor girl fainted dead away, pardon the pun, when Trelawney announced it." Both shared a good round of laughter, earning a disapproving glance from Hermione, but whether it was from Ron's choice of words or the topic neither could tell.

"How was arithmancy Hermione?" Harry asked the witch. "What did you need to talk to Professor Vector about?"

"Oh, it was fine. Today was mostly review of alpha omega calculations." At Harry and Ron's confused looks she waved a hand dismissing the topic. "I wanted to talk to Professor Vector about my calculations this summer for that spell Harry." Ron was the only one who raised an eyebrow at this. "I trust the twins somewhat, but not entirely. I wanted to double-check our combined calculations with her before I proceeded with the next set, which is going to be far too difficult by the way. I hate substitution matrices calculations."

The attempted explanation that followed was lost upon both boys, neither had even a rudimentary understanding of the subject, and when it was time to go to the next classes – Harry was done for the day, Ron had Advanced Charms, and Hermione had NEWT Potions – the two boys left confused and Hermione left slightly frustrated.

.:oOoOoOo:.

Harry and Hermione traipsed up the staircases of Hogwarts Castle towards the sixth floor, towards their unknown office. Ron had been disappointed when the two informed him that they were going to see it right after Hermione's NEWT Potions course as he had a double session of Advanced Charms on Mondays and would not be able to make the original round of exploration.

The two students were left slightly panting as they surfaced on the platform of the sixth floor; it was a long ascent from the dungeons and they had not had time to acclimate their bodies to the amount of climbing necessary during the school year. After a moment's rest the two proceeded down the hall where they were greeted by several portraits, including that of Edgar the Evangelizer.

"Tell me! When a man dies does he live again?" The portrait called out to the two. Harry turned to answer but Hermione pulled him along around a bend and out of sight.

"Why did you just ignore him?" Harry asked, confusion etched in his features.

"You've obviously never experienced the Jehovah's Witnesses Harry, once you give them a second, they'll take an hour." This explanation of course did nothing to address the Boy-Who-Lived's current state of confusion _('Who are the Jehovah's Witnesses and what do they have to do with Edgar?')_ but Harry took her reason as a reason good enough. After all, Hermione had given it and Merlin knew she was always right.

It was only a few steps later that the duo came upon the statue of Sir Malak the Moody. He was placed in a small alcove dug into the stone wall and looked resplendent in his shiny armor, adorned with the colors and signet of his house.

"Good day Sir Malak," Hermione greeted the statue of the knight with a smile. A snore that reverberated through Malak's armor was the only answer she received. "Umm, Sir Malak?" Hermione asked again, slightly louder this time. Again there was no intelligible answer.

"Well this isn't quite what I was expecting," Harry offered as he walked from one side of the knight to the other, examining the statue's foundations and wondering how it would turn into a portal.

"Nor I," Hermione answered before futilely calling out the knight's name again.

"Here, let me try," Harry offered as he climbed up into the alcove along with the knight.

"Harry," Hermione started, "I don't think that's such a good -"

"SIR MALAK!" Harry yelled into the knight's helmet from mere inches away. The response was immediate. An armored elbow to the gut dropped Harry to the ground three feet below out of breath and badly bruised.

"What in Merlin's name was that boy? Waking up a poor knight when he is trying to get his allotted amount of beauty sleep?" asked Sir Malak as he spotted the teenager laying on the ground below him.

"Urrgh," came the pain-filled response of arguably the most recognized person in the wizarding world.

"I tried to tell you," Hermione said before muttering a few quick healing charms and getting Harry back up to his feet.

"Well?" Sir Malak inquired again. "What reason have you for disrupting my rest?"

"I apologize for my friend's cruel and unusual way of rousing you Sir Malak," Hermione stated like an expert diplomat. "It's just that we are the two professors who will be using the room beyond you and when we approached you were rather – well – asleep."

"And snoring," added Harry earning him a quick jab in the gut from Hermione causing him to redouble over in pain.

"Professors you say? Aren't you a bit young?" came the inquiry.

"Well, yes. A bit," came Hermione's response. "But I can assure you that we are well – "

Sir Malak cut off her response. "In my day Hogwarts would never have employed professors so young. Not enough practical experience to be able to actually teach the children anything. I can't imagine what Dumbledore is thinking. Why –"

And so the two found out why exactly it was that their password was 'superfluous.' Sir Malak, it appeared, would open up only once he had regaled upon his unwilling listeners tales of his past. And so it was that after an hour, Sir Malak insisted that they were the first ones to use the room in near a century (he couldn't imagine why, it was a perfectly good room) and so had many more stories to tell this time than he would in the future. Neither teen was convinced.

"Superfluous, superfluous, superfluous!" Hermione tried for about the fifth time during one particularly boring tale about Sir Malak's guarding of an unused and forgotten bridge. He was just explaining how he had sworn to not allow any to cross, and none did, when Ron came around the bend.

"Merlin! You two haven't found your office yet?" he asked them, incredulous.

"Oh no, we found it," Hermione answered, "We just haven't been able to access it yet." Sir Malak continued his droning on, apparently unaware of his audience's lack of attention. Hermione pointed at the knight, "He hasn't responded to the password any of the fifty odd times I've said it."

Ron looked at the rambling knight and gave Hermione a small wink. "I know just how to put an end to this. SIR MALAK, STOP YOUR TOMFOOLERLY THIS INSTANT AND LET US INTO THIS ROOM. SUPERFLUOUS!"

Sir Malak recoiled slightly at Ron's yelling before sniffing and tapping his halberd on the stone three times. Slowly he sunk into the ground and the alcove behind him opened up revealing a room behind. A small set of stairs leading up to the door formed where there had been before a wall.

"Impressive, Ron," Harry commented, a grin on his face. "You know, that is how I got him to wake up – but it didn't turn out as well. Where did you learn to do that anyway?"

"Mum," the redhead answered confidently. "That is what she does to the ghoul in the attic when it starts to think that it should be given its own room and locks us out." Harry stifled a snort before looking at Hermione. She looked a bit put out that Sir Malak had not responded to her rather polite demands. Harry reflected that she was probably used to getting everything by diplomacy and not by force. Regardless, she was the first to make the move to walk into their new room.

The first thing that stood out to Harry was its size. For Dumbledore to say that it would be adequate was a drastic understatement, it was about the size of the Gryffindor common room. Ron, apparently, noticed the same thing.

"Just imagine the house parties we could throw in here," he reverently whispered earning him a smack from Hermione.

"Is all you think about breaking the rules Ron?" she berated him. "This is our _office_, not some animal house!"

Ron looked at Harry who gave a knowing smile. "Oh, you two are incorrigible!" Hermione said throwing her hands in the air.

Further exploration of the room found that it was actually quite posh for the castle. Directly across from the doorway sat soft leather chairs and a matching couch, which faced a small fireplace at the far end of the room. Two gigantic windows stood to either side of the chimney. On the left stood a number of empty bookshelves (they wouldn't stay empty for long) and a cabinet much like the one that Snape kept his potions ingredients in. The right hand wall was adorned with Tapestries depicting such events as the Goblin Rebellion of 1652, the Signing of the Magical Concordat of Worms, and the Rise of Transylvania; each famous events in wizarding history. A set of work desks sat facing each other under the second of those tapestries. Target dummies stood against the front of the room on either side of the doors. The color theme was, appropriately enough, maroon and gold.

"Wow," Harry said rather dumbly when he finished his quick exploration of the room.

"This is… quite a bit more than I expected," Hermione imputed. Harry and Ron nodded in agreement.

An hour later and the shock value that the room had initially had had worn off. The trio was currently lounging around in the room, Harry and Hermione finalizing the lesson plans for their first DA class tomorrow, and Ron adding input whenever asked.

The redhead argued that the class would be able to review everything within the first week, and that it wasn't necessary to take the review of the previous year over two weeks. Hermione thought that it would be a good idea, especially in the case of the Patronus Charm.

"Like it or not, more than three-fourths of the people in the DA last semester could not produce a corporal Patronus, Harry," she said matter-of-factly. "And with things as they are, You-Know-Who on the loose and all, there are going to be dementor attacks. The safety of the students, and perhaps even the student's families, may rely on their ability to cast that charm effectively."

Ron cut in, "Hermione, it's not a reasonable expectation for all of us to be able to conjure up a corporal Patronus. The raw magical power is beyond the reach of some of us, especially those in the younger years. Besides, it could take weeks for the members of the DA to get the charm down well enough, and even then it wouldn't be tested against actual dementors. Harry here can attest to how much more difficult the charm is to perform when there is a dementor sucking out all of your happy thoughts."

Harry found himself nodding as Ron argued his point and finally spoke up. "Hermione, I think that Ron is correct in his arguments. The Patronus Charm is rather heavy-duty for us to be teaching. I taught it on a whim last year, and there is just no way that it can be properly learned in one session. Besides, the focus of our group now is dueling, not so much defense. I do agree that it is an important spell to be able to cast however, and so I will go with you to Kingsley to propose that he teach it to the class if you would like. He is the one that should take on the responsibility of teaching us that defensive measure."

"But what if he doesn't have time in his lesson plans to accommodate the spell?" Hermione asked. "I am very strongly of the opinion that the students need to learn this spell ASAP!"

Harry put his head into his hands. "Look Hermione, if Kingsley can't teach it (even though I think he will be able to) I will offer to the members of the DA private tutoring time in the spell if they wish to learn. But I will not force the spell upon them. It is the most difficult spell I've ever learned, it took me months to perfect it, and that was using a fake dementor to help me practice."

"I think that is the best you are going to get on this Hermione," Ron added. "And since you can cast the spell, you should be able to help Harry tutor students in it if it should come to that."

Hermione sighed, "Alright, I concede the spell, but I really do think that we should do a two week review. The basics are just so important."

Harry rose from the chintz armchair he had been occupying and strode towards the small fireplace before starting, "What about those that weren't in the DA last year. Are they going to be reviewing as well? For them the stuff may all be new. I don't think that it is fair really to do _any_ review, let alone two weeks worth. What I think what we should do is 'review' as we go along. So when we do a section on shield charms we will do the standard _protego_ as well as some of the more specialized shield charms that the former DA members won't yet know. We are going to have to help many of the students who did not take part in the DA last year because they will be a further year behind most of us. Why cram a year's worth of learning into two weeks for them?"

A hand was run through his raven hair as he turned to face Hermione and Ron again. The latter was nodding his head in agreement and while the former still looked slightly unconvinced, Harry could see that his argument had weakened her resolve for the review weeks. Finally, after a couple minutes of only the fire crackling Hermione too nodded her head, accepting the lesson plan.

Twenty minutes later found the trio agreeing that the first day would consist of explaining the basic class syllabus while taking some questions from the students. They would be released early and afterwards if students wanted to stick around some duels could be enacted.

That finally decided, the three students left the new office and meandered up a flight of stairs to the base of Gryffindor tower. The Fat Lady opened up immediately (most unlike Sir Malak) upon being given the password ("tinsletoe") and the trio stepped into the Gryffindor common room. Harry barely had time to admire the comfortable chamber before being hailed by Neville.

"Hi Harry, hi Ron, hello Hermione, how were your summers?"

"Hello Neville, summer was good, how about yours? How were your OWLs?" Harry responded. The other two members of the trio nodded their agreement.

"Oh, I did alright on the OWLs. I got an 'O' in Herbology and an 'E' in DADA. I reckon you were the reason for that last one though. I've always been pretty hopeless in the subject." The four shared a quick laugh before Neville continued. "Anyway, as expected I did absolutely horrid on my potions OWL. Though I guess I should be glad, no more Professor Snape now, and I have room to take the class offered by Professor Potter."

Harry tinged slightly much to the amusement of the others that were coming around to say hello. "I swear Neville, you call me that again and I'll dock house points! I can do that you know," Harry said with a smile in an attempt to relieve his embarrassment. Neville and the newly arrived Dean Thomas chuckled at his remark.

"So Harry," Dean cut in, "What do you think of Professor Shacklebolt? Myself, I'm not too sure about this teaching us the basics of the dark arts. Sounds kind of fishy to me."

"Oh, I think he will do fine. Hermione and I," Harry said gesturing between the two of them, "learned a bunch of what he is going to be teaching this summer, and I can tell you that all the results have been positive. Besides, how are you supposed to properly duel a Death Eater without knowing what curses he is using? That would be pretty hard."

"I agree," Hermione said, "I mean, how would you know that you couldn't counter a wide-angle bludgeoning curse if you didn't know you your opponent had used one?" Both Hermione and Harry shared a laugh but stopped once they realized that Ron, Neville, Dean, and Seamus, who had just walked into the common room, did not understand.

"What makes you think that we will be fighting people that will be using those kind of curses though?" Seamus asked. "I mean, I know that the ministry has acknowledged that You-Know-Who has returned, but it's not like everyone is going to have to pitch into the fight."

Harry chose his words carefully, "I think Seamus, that in the coming months you'll see exactly why people are afraid to say his name. Voldemort, however sick it was, earned the fear that people have of him. There were very few British wizards that escaped the last war with him completely unscathed. I imagine that this time it may well be worse."

"But what about his Death Eaters? I mean you lot captured a whole bunch of them in the Ministry fiasco. How can he do anything without followers?" Dean asked.

"Those captured in the Ministry were much of his inner circle," Hermione offered. "Voldemort has many more followers than just those ones, though they were arguably his most loyal."

Harry looked at Hermione, proud that she had overcome her fear of the dark lord's name over the past months. The others looked at her with surprised etched across their faces. "What?" she asked contemptuously, "there is nothing to fear in a name." Harry flashed a smile in her direction, a smile that she returned.

.:oOoOoOo:.

The rest of the evening was spent with their classmates; Harry learned what Lavender and Parvati had done over the summer vacation (not much), and that Dean attended a muggle football camp for a few weeks in June. Neville related the remainder of his summer, the time from Harry's party to the Hogwarts Express, to the group and mentioned that he had done quite a bit of defense practicing over the summer. Harry told the larger boy that he couldn't wait to see how much he had improved.

Breakfast the following morning was eaten without Ron, as 'the lucky bastard,' as Harry put it, didn't have class until 10:00 and was currently sleeping in. Harry polished off his last blueberry scone on the way to Flitwick's room for NEWT Charms.

The small, energetic man sat at a small desk off to the side of the room and greeted the two as they came in. "Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, I was pleased that you elected to take my course, there are going to be many interesting things that we will be learning this year."

Harry gave Flitwick a smile and a short, "I can't wait," before finding a seat that wasn't yet taken. Hermione sat next to him and the two watched as the rest of the class trickled in. Draco Malfoy was the last to arrive and upon entering sneered at the two Gryffindors.

The class was primarily made up of Ravenclaws. Historically, next to potions, NEWT Charms was the hardest course to get into. Many students simply couldn't wrap their minds around the concepts behind many of the charms. It was these charms that this course would be focusing on.

"Welcome back everybody to another year at Hogwarts," Flitwick began enthusiastically. "This year will be unlike many years past as I have changed the curriculum somewhat." A few groans were heard from those who had older siblings that had already taken the course and left behind their work for them to 'study' from.

"Now, now," Flitwick said, his eyes twinkling. "I assure you that in this case change is a good thing. This year, instead of learning some more advanced household charms we will be studying the magic of transport. I will give a short lesson on the Floo system, portkey manufacturing and ministry regulations, and last but certainly not least, apparition." The class erupted into excited whispering at mention of the last and it was Hermione who asked the intelligent question.

"Sir, how will we practice apparating? You cannot on Hogwarts ground as I'm sure everyone knows."

"Very good Miss Granger. The actual practical portions of the apparition lessons are optional, though I highly encourage each and every one of you to participate. The practical lessons will take place on undecided Saturdays throughout the semester in Hogsmede. Should you miss one of the lessons, you will be unable to continue taking the practical apparition lessons, as there will be no time for makeups. Also, should you finish the set of lessons satisfactorily, you will receive your apparition license from the Ministry of Magic, who will be testing each of you at the final lesson. Some of you may even be able to get the license before you turn of age this way!"

If the whispering had been excited before, it just became zealous. Harry saw that even Malfoy looked faintly pleased by the announcement and was currently discussing something with Theodore Nott, a stringy sixth year Slytherin whose father Harry knew to serve Voldemort.

After several minutes Flitwick managed to get the class back under control and announced that for the following month the class would be focusing primarily on charms that warped space. This magic was used to create trunks that could hold much more than they should have been able to, or to make a house much larger on the inside than on the outside. The item, Flitwick explained, became more difficult to morph the larger or magic dense it was.

The rest of the double period of charms passed with the class attempting to get down the exact pronunciation and wand movement for the most simple of the space altering charms. Hermione was the only one who had actually made the inside of the thimble each student had big enough to fit a thumb into and earned ten points for Gryffindor.

After Charms Harry and Hermione traipsed up the Transfiguration room where they met Ron, who apparently had just rolled out of bed. Hermione didn't stop ragging on the redhead for his messy hair and bad breath until Professor McGonagall began to speak, and even then shot incredulous looks his way. Ron was somewhat peeved by her behavior, but Harry found the entire situation extremely amusing.

"Today, as per usual, will be spent mostly going over the material that you will be learning in NEWT Transfiguration. Each of you has proven that you belong in this class with a grade of at least Exceeds Expectations on your OWLs." Harry glanced around the classroom to see that it mostly comprised of Ravenclaws, which wasn't unusual of NEWT subjects. Draco Malfoy, blessedly, had either not qualified for the class (which would have made Harry's year) or had chosen not to take it as he was nowhere to be seen.

"This class and your class next year should be seen as two parts of a whole as the lessons build on each other from square one. We will be starting off the year learning how to transfigure an inanimate object into a real animal, capable of thought and survival. The process is long and arduous and I expect that each of you will put in more than the minimum amount of effort required. Part of these lessons will be the covering of the theory of why magical animals cannot be created in this way."

Hermione could be seen wearing an exceptionally large smile at the thought of being able to discuss the subject with a master of the art. Harry was willing to bet a bagful of galleons that she had already read all of the accepted hypothesis and had even formulated a few of her own. Ron, for his part, looked sick at the mention of doing more than the minimum amount of work required and Harry had to stifle a laugh.

"From there we will move on to human transfiguration." A well-placed comment about ferrets from Ron caused Harry to lose composure and cost Gryffindor five points. "This is without a doubt the most dangerous of all the things you will be learning this year and I expect that each of you will demonstrate the maturity necessary for these lessons. If I feel that anyone is unable to continue for any reason at all, I will not hesitate to remove that person from my class. Petty rivalries will not be tolerated in this classroom in your final two years.

"Those two lessons should take up the entirety of the first semester. Coming back from Christmas Break we will begin work on conjuring. This skill is very useful for practical reasons and is one of the most difficult skills that we will be learning. Now, who can demonstrate turning this pin into a mouse?" Several hands were thrown into the air, Hermione's among them, but Ernie Macmillan was chosen and earned ten points for Hufflepuff.

After class Ron bid the other two members of the trio goodbye and went off with Dean, Seamus, Zacharias, Terry, and a few others for a pickup game of Quidditch before lunch. Hermione and Harry struck off towards Medimagic, a class that would prove quite boring for a number of weeks before Madam Pomfrey got into subjects that neither Gryffindor had learned yet.

Ron arrived uncharacteristically late for lunch, Harry had never known the redhead to be late for a meal, but shrugged off Hermione's questions as to why, focusing instead upon the game. A number of upper level students had taken part in the game, even a few Slytherins had joined in on the action. Ron's team lost 170-130, the team of chasers and Ron's keeping skills shining through. In the end though, Cho Chang beat out Jennifer Hawken, a Gryffindor seventh year, for the snitch.

By agreement, after lunch Hogwarts two youngest professors proceeded up to the Room of Requirement. Dumbledore had granted their request for use of the room for the Dueling Association. The two finalized their lesson plans before Harry suggested a friendly duel. Hermione, who had voiced earlier that there were a couple new spells she had learned and wanted to try out, agreed.

The two backed fifteen paces off from each other, the standard dueling distance, and bowed.

"_Funis necto_!" Hermione started off the duel by conjuring ropes around Harry's body.

"_Finite Incantateum_!" Harry cried, vanishing the binds. "_Conjunctiva_!"

Hermione expertly absorbed the spell with a _protego_ shield and sent off a leg-locker curse and a bludgeoning curse in quick succession. Harry responded with a protegoshield of his own and counter attacked with a cry of, "_Ignipoten, decido_!"

Hermione, recognizing the futility of the shield charm in the face of the blasting curse, dove to the ground and rolled up to her knees as the spell reduced a wooden table that had been behind her to splinters. The flipping charm impacted harmlessly against the stone walls of Hogwarts.

"_Reprobra ego_!" Hermione called out and Harry suddenly found himself facing two Hermiones, each seemingly real and independently acting.

"_Incendio_!" Harry called out and the Hermione on the left fell to the ground, the flames only nicking her robes. Harry was sure that it was the real one. "_Aeger dolor_!" Harry pressed the advantage on his classmate. The place where Hermione had been lying on the ground was suddenly empty and Harry let forth a curse knowing that he had fallen for the false image. He spun around quickly attempting to locate the real Hermione.

"_Ael loc mal_!" Harry threw a shielding charm into place before spinning to face the direction the curse had originated from. What he had not expected was to see three separate spells shooting towards him. With seeker-enhanced reflexes Harry threw himself to the ground. He was not, however, quick enough and his shield was impacted by two of the spells and broke under the stress. A well placed _stupefy_ ended the duel.

Hermione threw a fist into the air and gave a small squeal of delight. It wasn't often that she beat Harry in a duel and with a smile she pranced over to where Harry lay unconscious on the ground and revived him.

"I win!" she announced in a far too cheerful a voice.

Harry groaned and rolled over so he could lie on his back instead of on his face.

"So," he started slowly, not feeling all that aware, "when did you learn the duplication image spell, and what in Merlin's name was that last spell you cast? Three spells?"

Hermione gave a laugh and pulled up a chair that had appeared behind her. "Well, the first one was an illusion charm with a built in confounding charm. It made you think that the false illusion was actually me, that is why you spent so much time on it rather than looking as I cast an invisibility charm on myself."

'_Merlin this ground is uncomfortable_,' Harry thought as he prepared himself for the explanation. He grabbed a pillow that materialized nearby and placed it under his head.

"And what were those three spells you cast that I thought were one spell?" Harry asked from the floor.

"Oh, those were single syllable bludgeoning hexes," Hermione said with a smile and a laugh. "I was going to teach them to you right before we came but I thought that this would be better use of them to start with." She smiled. "Weren't they?"

"Oh yeah," Harry replied sarcastically with a smile and a wink, "I love it rough, you know that."

"Well, with all the beatings you've given me I thought it would be poetic justice," said Hermione, justifying herself and ignoring the innuendo.

Harry gave her a smile that she returned. "I rather think it was," he said. "Anyway, you want to teach me those? And just how many are there? I know you used three, but are there more?"

Had Ron walked in on the two just then he would have been appalled, Harry was turning into Hermione. The old Harry would never have been so inquisitive, even when it came to defense. The old Harry would never want to study as this Harry had done all summer and was doing already in the school year. The old Harry would never have playful banter like he was with Hermione. Yes, Ron would have been appalled, it was a good thing that he wasn't watching.

The two continued their discussion of the single-syllable spells for the free hour they had, Hermione beginning to teach Harry how to cast them. They were far more difficult than Harry had imagined. It wasn't the raw magical ability that was needed to cast them that made the spells hard to learn, it was the focus necessary to get off a string of them. A, perhaps intended, side effect of long incantations was that it was easier to visualize the spell being cast and therefore much easier to succeed in the casting. After all, will played a large part in the utilization of magic. With the single syllable hexes there was little time to properly focus one's will into the forming of the spell.

It wasn't long before a trickle of students began to come through the door. Both Harry and Hermione greeted the students, old and new, enthusiastically. They promised a year of learning unlike any they had experienced before. Ron and Neville arrived together with a few of the other past members of the DA from NEWT Care of Magical Creatures shortly before the class began.

Finally the clock upon the wall of the Room of Requirement showed 2:00 and Harry moved to the front of the classroom.

"Hello all, and welcome to the Dueling Association. I'm sure you know me, I'm Harry Potter. Along with Hermione Granger here I will be your instructor for the year. You may call me Harry, or Professor Potter, and may call Hermione either Hermione or Professor Granger, either will do. We will not be exploring any defense or dueling techniques today unfortunately," Harry continued and there were a few 'ahhs' from the students. "Like most of the teachers, we will be going over a rough syllabus for the semester."

At this Hermione stood up to take the stage. "Headmaster Dumbledore assures us that Professor Kinglsey will be a more than adequate defense teacher and has asked us to focus more on offensive styles this year, so each of you will learn methods of attack in this classroom. This class will be mostly practical, though there will be a few theory assignments, and each day you will be required to bring your wands. You may also be asked to bring your defense books during certain days of the year.

"We will be starting off with some basic spells used to incapacitate an opponent, many of which you will already know. We are aware of this, but we want to make sure that each of you have these spells mastered before we continue."

The door to the Room of Requirement was suddenly opened, capturing the attention of both teachers and their students.

"Come on you imbeciles, father wants to know what this is all about, and I want to see Potter make a fool of himself." The words were greeted with silence as Draco Malfoy and his two cronies entered the room. Harry stood from where he had been sitting listening to Hermione.

"Nice of you to join us Mr. Malfoy. Ten points each from Slytherin for tardiness, disruption of the class, and your blatant insults to members of the faculty." There was a smattering of laughter from the assembled students and Draco Malfoy's face turned a magnificent shade of red.

"You can't do that Potter!" he yelled at Harry, who was currently wearing a smirk on his face.

"Actually, Mr. Malfoy, I can. Another ten points from Slytherin for your cheek. If you are going to stay I suggest you find a seat before I take more. Oh and Mr. Malfoy, it's Professor Potter to you while you are in this classroom." Even Hermione couldn't hide her smile at the way Harry had dealt with Malfoy. It was clear to everyone present who had just won that battle of wits.

As soon as Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle had found seats in the back of the classroom Hermione continued. "As I was saying before the interruption these basic spells must be mastered before we can continue. Along with Professor Shaklebolt's curriculum we will also be studying some of the dark arts, as they are very effective dueling tools."

There was a quick murmuring throughout the class as those that had had not yet had Defense Against the Dark Arts began to talk. Hermione let the class quiet on its own before continuing.

"Harry and I have discussed the matter ourselves, and just to let you know, we do not feel comfortable with the subject either, but we cannot discard that particular art's usefulness in a duel," she said to let the students know that their professors could empathize. Draco Malfoy snorted in the back of the classroom and nudged his two bodyguards who began to snicker as if on cue.

"Is something funny Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione asked the blonde Slytherin.

"Not at all," came the automatic response.

"Very well then, you can either quit disrupting the class or I will remove points." Malfoy shot a glare at Hermione who chose to ignore it continuing, "We will also be holding a dueling tournament open to all Dueling Association members sometime in the coming months, probably before the Christmas break. The tournament will be put on as a spectator event for the school and anyone from Hogsmede that wishes to come to watch."

As expected, there was a fair amount of excitement at this, and the two student professors grinned as they saw even Ron was enthralled as he had not been told previously. Across the room students could be heard voicing their prospects at winning (none louder than Draco Malfoy) and there was several minutes of chatter before Harry stepped in.

"Because of the nature of the tournament, neither Hermione nor myself will be participating. However, we will put on an exhibition duel at the beginning of the tournament, and the tournament winner will be given the opportunity to duel each of us. That opportunity will also be extended to the tourney runner-up." There was a minute more of excited talking amongst the students before Harry could continue.

"That is all that we had planned for today so all of you are dismissed. However, if any want to stick around and have a few friendly duels between you Hermione and I are willing to proctor them. The only rules would be no unforgivables, and nothing that can kill."

Most of the class stood up following this announcement and after double-checking to make sure they had all their possessions exited the classroom. Ron, Neville, Hannah Abbot, Katie Bell, and Cho Chang stuck around and came to the front of the classroom.

"Harry, Neville and I are going to go at it alright?" Ron asked of his friend.

"Yeah, I'll be right there to watch," came Harry's reply as the two walked to one side of the room where a dueling platform had erected itself.

"Hannah and I are too," Cho called out to her former boyfriend of one date. Hermione saved Harry from having to say anything as she voiced that she would watch the duel. Cho left with the Hufflepuff girl looking slightly put out.

"Harry," Katie Bell started as she walked alongside her classmate towards where Ron and Neville were getting ready to duel, "McGonagall approached me today asking if I wanted the team captainship for Quidditch."

"Well that is great Katie," came the immediate response. "You deserve it after all, seniority and being such a great player and all."

"Yes, well thank you Harry, but the reason I was telling you is that I felt I had to turn down the position. You know, NEWTs and all this year. I have to be at the top of my academic game, and frankly, I don't think there is a future in professional Quidditch for me."

"Codswallop," Harry stated with a smile. "You are a brilliant chaser Katie. I imagine you will follow Wood to be the second member that has played with me to go on to the pros. You should take the position."

Katie blushed slightly at the praise before beginning again. "Harry, really, I'm not that good. I stand by my decision to pass on the captainship." A few seconds of silence passed and Ron and Neville's first spells flew through the air at each other. Ron successfully dodged Neville's tripping hex and Neville's shield deflected Ron's stunner.

"The reason I'm telling you is because I think that you should expect to be offered the position next Harry. McGonagall usually chooses by seniority."

"Hmm," came a thoughtful sound from Harry as he watched Ron and Neville fight it out. A number of jinxes flew towards Ron who was finally forced to erect a shield charm with a loud '_protego_.' Finally Harry responded to what Katie had told him. "I don't really want the captainship Katie. I've a lot to do this year besides Quidditch. I simply will not have time to plan team strategies and as seeker I'm not the best position for a captain either. I would like to pass the opportunity to be captain to Ron if you think that would be alright. I know that Quidditch is a very important part of his life, and Quidditch strategy is one of the few things he will study without Hermione prodding him."

The two shared a laugh as a stunner from Ron flew through the air and shattered Neville's shield. A second stunner dropped the larger boy to the floor of the dueling platform unconscious.

"Yes," Kate said with a smile. "I think that would be fine. I believe we can expect good things from Ron as captain. I'll inform McGonagall of our decision and let her decide. I think that it will be fine though. Ron really improved over the summer, and as much as she doesn't show it, McGonagall takes Quidditch seriously enough to even keep track of the players in the pick up games." Harry chuckled a bit at the knowledge of his most strict professor's favorite sin.

"Congratulations Ron!" Katie called out to the redhead as she left, though Ron didn't know that it was for his new position on the Quidditch team that that congrats was offered rather than his victory in the duel.

"Indeed," Harry agreed, giving his best friend a smile. "Congratulations."

.:oOoOoOo:.

**(A/N: Well, if you didn't understand the author's note up at the top it basically says that I was unable to get this chapter out due to writer's block and a fault in trying to get the story from the beginning to the end the way I want the story to progress. Again, thanks to you reviewers for making me get off my lazy bum and actually force my way through the chapter, I hope it was satisfactory. Several things of note happen in this chapter, but I will leave them to you to discover. Most are blatantly obvious, some not so much.**

**Credit goes out to sib-ff for the idea of single-syllable bludgeoning curses. I was granted use of the idea. Also, if you haven't, read sib-ff's The Awakening Power for a complete, and most excellent, sixth year fic that is COMPLETE! Yes, you read that right, complete. No sequel planned though, so bug sib for it. I tried, though it doesn't seem to be working.**

**Chapter title comes from a Fall Out Boy song, "Tell Mick He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today," which I believe is a quote from the movie Rushmore. I just thought it was better than the previous title of the chapter, 'Enter Professor Potter.' More amusing at least.**

**Now, for the blatant self-promotion. If you haven't, I suggest reading my two short stories. One is a one-shot and the other, I suggest the revamped version, is something that I will add onto to try to relieve any writer's block on this story. So far that hasn't been too successful but you can't blame a guy for trying.**

**To those that inquired about the story I haven't posted, the reason is that it is just an idea right now. Feel free to take it for your own, consider it a challenge. For those that don't know what the hell I'm talking about, see my bio. I expect Harry Potter: Incurably Criminal Boy would be a pretty fun new type of fic for people to read. I've got a lot of a possible plot planned out, but nothing down on the computer yet.**

**Well, that was one hell of a long author's note. I'll leave it there.)**


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